JAMMU, Aug 14: President of Mission Statehood Sunil Dimple, along with hundreds of workers and supporters, today led a protest rally demanding restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status. The protest was organised in connection with Independence Day and focused on the demand for restoration of the erstwhile Dogra state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the protesters, Sunil Dimple appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Government to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the people of the region have been facing difficulties in the absence of an elected state government with full statehood.
Dimple warned that if the demand for restoration of statehood was not addressed after the Monsoon Session of Parliament, he would consider giving a call for a Jammu Kashmir-wide bandh in support of the demand.
He alleged that the people, particularly the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, were suffering due to the absence of statehood following the abrogation of Article 370. He appealed to all political parties to come together on a common platform and jointly raise the demand for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
Dimple also alleged that the Union Government had remained non-committal on restoring the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state. He further claimed that the 29 BJP MLAs had remained silent on the issue of statehood and alleged that the demand for a separate Jammu state was weakening the broader movement for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir as one state.
He said his organisation wanted the unification of Jammu and Kashmir with Ladakh and the areas of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, describing these territories as integral parts of India.
Dimple categorically rejected demands for separate Jammu and Kashmir states, maintaining that the region should remain united. He urged political parties, civil society groups and people from different sections to work collectively for restoration of statehood.
Among those present during the protest were Vikas, Mohinder Kumar, Lichi, Tarsem Lal, Ashok Sharma, Deepak, Dalip Kumar, S. Kala Singh, Surinder Kumar, Baba Kumar and several other supporters and workers.