J&K’s political tensions flared further today as the JKNC confirmed plans to gherao BJP headquarters in Srinagar and Jammu.
The announcement came hours after the BJP said it would march towards the Civil Secretariat, accusing the NC-led government of ignoring its commitments.
The JKNC’s core demands include constitutional guarantees for Jammu and Kashmir, restoration of statehood, clearance of the reservation file, and Union Government accountability over past Parliament and Supreme Court pledges.
The Srinagar protest is planned for 10:00 am at Gindun Park near the Rajbagh police station, with a matching demonstration set for Jammu.
Security around BJP offices in both cities has been tightened as authorities brace for the day’s twin protests, even as both parties call their plans peaceful.
Political observers have noted that simultaneous protests by two rival parties on the same day, each targeting the other’s offices or institutions, is a relatively unusual escalation even by the standards of Jammu and Kashmir’s often fraught politics.
The standoff comes against the backdrop of long-pending demands for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, an issue that has repeatedly resurfaced in the region’s post-reorganisation political discourse.
The JKNC’s demands include constitutional guarantees for Jammu and Kashmir, restoration of full statehood, clearance of the pending reservation file and justice for people affected by past incidents in the region.
The Srinagar protest has been scheduled for 10:00 am at Gindun Park, near the Rajbagh police station, with a parallel demonstration planned in Jammu.
The BJP’s planned march is directed at the Civil Secretariat and comes as the party accuses the NC-led state government of failing to act on commitments it says were made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court.
Security has been visibly tightened around BJP offices in both Srinagar and Jammu ahead of the JKNC’s planned gathering, with additional personnel deployed in anticipation of the twin demonstrations.
Photo of the J&K legislative assembly building, Srinagar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
