Omar Abdullah says NC protest on J&K statehood will go ahead at Jantar Mantar

Omar Abdullah said the National Conference will hold its planned Jantar Mantar sit-in over Jammu and Kashmir statehood. He said the protest is meant to remind the Centre of assurances made in court, Parliament and public statements.

In Short

• Abdullah said the party's one-day sit-in plan remains unchanged now
• He said the move aims to remind Delhi about statehood assurances
• The protest is scheduled for Parliament's monsoon session opening day

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said his National Conference will go ahead with its decision to hold a sit-in protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament to remind the Centre of its promise of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Abdullah said the decision to hold the protest has not changed following his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Abdullah met the prime minister in Delhi on June 11, strongly pressing for the "early return" of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and seeking central support to accelerate the region's economic and infrastructural growth.

"There is no change in that plan. We are still fully committed to the one-day protest at Jantar Mantar at the beginning of the monsoon session to remind the Centre of the promise of statehood it has made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the Supreme Court, Parliament and in many public statements," he said.

On his meeting with the prime minister, Abdullah said they discussed statehood, the financial position of Jammu and Kashmir and on how to expedite the development process in the Union Territory.

- Ends