Omar Abdullah Says Peaceful Protest Was Stopped, Vows to Continue Fight for Jammu and Kashmir Statehood

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday asserted that the National Conference's campaign for the restoration of statehood would continue despite its leaders being prevented from holding a planned protest in the national capital. The National Conference had scheduled a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on the opening day of Parliament's Monsoon Session to press the Centre for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. However, according to the party, its leaders and workers were stopped from reaching the protest venue.

Responding to the development, Omar Abdullah said the party had been denied the opportunity to protest peacefully but insisted that the movement would not be derailed. In a statement shared on social media, he said that although the protesters were prevented from reaching Jantar Mantar, they had not been silenced and would continue their democratic struggle for statehood.

The Chief Minister reiterated that restoring statehood remains one of the National Conference's foremost political priorities. He maintained that the issue concerns the democratic rights and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and that the party would continue raising the demand through constitutional and peaceful means.

The protest had been planned weeks in advance, with the National Conference inviting several opposition parties to support its campaign. While parties such as the Congress and CPI(M) backed the initiative, some regional parties, including the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the People's Conference, chose not to participate.

The demand for restoring Jammu and Kashmir's statehood has remained at the centre of political discourse since the region was reorganized into a Union Territory in August 2019. The National Conference has consistently argued that the restoration of full statehood is essential for strengthening democratic governance and ensuring greater administrative accountability. Despite the disruption of Monday's protest, Abdullah signalled that the campaign is far from over. He said the party would continue to raise the issue through democratic forums and political engagement until the Centre takes a decision on restoring Jammu and Kashmir's statehood.