The Indian National Congress chapter in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) has announced that it will observe August 5 as Black Day to protest India's unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the territory into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the decision was taken at a meeting of the District Congress Committee (DCC) Jammu Urban held in Jammu. The meeting was presided over by IIOJK Congress Working President Raman Bhalla and attended by senior party leaders and workers.

Addressing the meeting, Raman Bhalla said the Congress would observe August 5 as Black Day and organize protests for restoration of full statehood to IIOJK. He said the BJP-led Indian government's August 5, 2019 actions had deprived the people of their democratic rights and constitutional safeguards besides undermining identity of the people of the territory.

Bhalla said the downgrade of IIOJK into two Union Territories had weakened democratic institutions and deepened public alienation. He criticized New Delhi for repeatedly promising to restore statehood but failing to fulfill those assurances, stressing that the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir deserve the same constitutional rights enjoyed by citizens of other Indian states.

"The prolonged delay in restoring statehood is a grave injustice, fostering a sense of alienation and disempowerment among our people, he said, adding, "A full-fledged state is essential to address the unique socio-economic, cultural, and political aspirations of our diverse region. The current status as a Union Territory, governed centrally, cannot substitute for the self-governance that statehood guarantees".

Speaking on the occasion, President DCC Jammu Urban Yogesh Sawhney criticized the BJP leadership for ignoring the aspirations of the people of Jammu and said that the saffron party was pursuing divisive politics, exploiting people in the name of religion and castes. He urged party leaders and workers to reach out to the public and expose the failures of the BJP-led Indian government.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)