Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Sep 01
Ruling National Conference (NC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are set for a street confrontation on Wednesday, with the two parties announcing rival protest programmes in Srinagar and Jammu.
The BJP has called for a protest outside the Civil Secretariat against the Omar Abdullah-led government, while the National Conference has announced counter-protests outside BJP offices in Srinagar and Jammu.
The competing programmes have turned September 2 into a political showdown, with both parties seeking to shift the focus of public debate towards issues they say are central to Jammu and Kashmir’s governance and political future.
The NC said its protests would remain peaceful and would seek accountability for commitments made by the central government in parliament and before the Supreme Court.
It has listed four demands: constitutional guarantees, restoration of statehood, clearance of the reservation file and what it called “justice for the people of J&K”.
Statehood has been a central demand of the NC since the reorganisation of the erstwhile state in 2019.
By linking the issue with constitutional guarantees and reservations, the party is seeking to direct attention towards the central government rather than solely defending the performance of the elected administration.
“The mandate of the people of J&K is not a blank cheque. It must be respected, not taken for granted,” the party said.
The BJP, meanwhile, plans to focus its protest on the performance of the elected government, seeking to pressure the administration over issues it says remain unresolved.
The rival protests reflect the political dynamics that have emerged since the 2024 Assembly elections, when the NC formed the government while the BJP retained its strong position in Jammu.
Both parties are seeking to consolidate their respective regional support bases while expanding their political narratives beyond their traditional areas of influence.
