JAMMU, February 14: Jammu and Kashmir Police detained scores of Congress activists, including AICC General Secretary Syed Naseer Hussain and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Tariq Hameed Karra, as they attempted a march to Lok Bhawan on Saturday under the ‘Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq’ campaign demanding J&K statehood restoration and protection of MGNREGA scheme.
The protest kicked off at Maharaja Hari Singh Park, where hundreds gathered before proceeding in a procession toward the administrative headquarters. Police intercepted the group near Jewel Chowk, bundling leaders into waiting vehicles and shifting them to district police lines. Among those held: AICC General Secretary and CLP Leader G A Mir, Working President Raman Bhalla, and AICC Secretary/Punjab MLA Pargat Singh.
Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma condemned the action as “suppression of democratic rights,” stressing the march was peaceful to spotlight public grievances over J&K’s Union Territory status—downgraded in 2019—and rural job scheme dilutions amid economic distress.
This ‘Lok Bhawan Chalo’ follows a string of Congress protests amplifying local demands, with prior rallies in Srinagar facing similar barriers. Party leaders vowed resilience, framing detentions as BJP-led UT administration’s aversion to constitutional restoration debates ahead of potential polls. Released later, activists plan escalated actions, signaling no retreat on core issues fueling J&K’s political discourse.
