Congress Protest at Jantar Mantar Demands Jammu & Kashmir Statehood Amid Opposition Rifts
By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 22 July 2025
Congress Rekindles the Kashmir Statehood Flame at Jantar Mantar
On July 22, 2025, the political heart of Delhi—Jantar Mantar—once again echoed with slogans, speeches, and struggle as over 500 Congress leaders and workers gathered to demand the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu & Kashmir.
Led by veteran Kashmiri Congressmen Tariq Hameed Karra and Ghulam Ahmad Mir, and backed by All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership including K.C. Venugopal, the protest sought to put national focus back on the unresolved promise of restoring democratic rights to a region stripped of its statehood nearly six years ago.
While the Congress aimed to reclaim moral and political ground, the protest also exposed underlying fractures in opposition unity. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, a long-time proponent of J&K statehood, criticized the Congress for bypassing alliance partners, questioning the sincerity behind the event.
This article takes an in-depth look into the significance of the protest, its political context, and the complicated dynamics within the broader campaign for restoring democracy in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Demand: Full Statehood for Jammu & Kashmir
The Congress has consistently demanded that Jammu & Kashmir be reinstated as a full-fledged state, with its own elected government, legislature, and constitutional autonomy—as promised when Article 370 was abrogated in 2019 and the region was downgraded to a Union Territory.
Why It Matters:
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Lack of elected government since 2018
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Rule by unelected bureaucrats and Centre-appointed administrators
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Absence of legislative accountability
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Shrinking space for civil rights and local governance
“The people of Jammu & Kashmir deserve dignity, not bureaucratic control,” said K.C. Venugopal during the protest.
The demand for statehood has grown louder over the past year, as delays in holding assembly elections and a perceived erosion of democratic norms dominate political discourse in the region.
Inside the Protest: Patriotic Fervor, Political Messaging
Jantar Mantar, the designated protest space in central Delhi, was filled with tricolor flags, Kashmir-centric banners, and chants of “Restore Statehood Now” and “Down with Dictatorship.”
Key Speakers:
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Tariq Hameed Karra: Slammed the BJP for “betraying” Kashmiris and manipulating constitutional processes.
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G.A. Mir: Called the Union Territory status an insult to the legacy of autonomy.
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K.C. Venugopal: Declared that the Congress will push this demand on the floor of Parliament during the Monsoon Session.
The speeches blended emotional appeals with legal-political arguments, highlighting the constitutional irregularities in the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and the disempowerment of an entire region.
Attempt to March to Parliament Blocked
Following the speeches, Congress leaders and workers attempted to march toward Parliament, symbolizing their determination to bring the statehood issue back into the legislative spotlight. However, they were blocked by heavy police deployment and barricades.
“You can stop us with barricades, but you can’t stop the voice of the people of Kashmir,” said Karra, as he addressed the crowd again.
This confrontation was brief but symbolic—underlining the tensions between protest and power in the national capital.
The BJP’s Role: Accused of Delay, Denial, and Double Speak
Congress leaders strongly accused the BJP government of:
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Delaying the restoration of statehood despite multiple promises.
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Using bureaucracy to suppress dissent and delay elections.
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Centralizing power under the LG administration and Ministry of Home Affairs.
PM Modi’s Earlier Promises:
After revoking Article 370 in 2019, PM Modi had promised that statehood would be restored once “normalcy” returned. But five years on, there has been:
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No legislative assembly
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No clarity on statehood timeline
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Continued central control
Congress leaders demanded the Prime Minister’s personal commitment to be reiterated during the current Monsoon Session.
Opposition Fractures: Omar Abdullah Criticizes Congress
In a twist that complicated the political optics, Omar Abdullah of the National Conference criticized the Congress for failing to consult its opposition allies, especially those most directly affected by the statehood issue.
“We’ve been leading this demand for years. To be sidelined like this hurts the spirit of opposition unity,” Omar told reporters.
This highlights a broader problem in the INDIA bloc and other opposition alliances—that while the common enemy is clear, the coordination is lacking.
Statehood and Article 370: Interlinked, But Not Identical
Many confuse the demand for statehood with the restoration of Article 370, but these are separate legal and constitutional issues.
Article 370:
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Gave special autonomy to J&K
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Its revocation is under judicial review in the Supreme Court
Statehood:
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Can be restored without reintroducing Article 370
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Requires parliamentary legislation or executive order
Congress has not formally demanded the return of Article 370, focusing instead on democratic representation and local governance.
The Bigger Picture: What’s at Stake?
For Jammu & Kashmir:
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Loss of identity and political agency
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Reduced local decision-making
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Increasing alienation among youth and minorities
For the BJP:
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Risk of being seen as undemocratic or high-handed
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Potential backlash in future elections, especially in border and minority regions
For Congress:
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Opportunity to reclaim lost political ground in J&K
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Chance to lead a broader pro-democracy narrative
For India:
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Test of its federal structure
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Debate over centralization vs decentralization
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Reflection on the health of Indian democracy
Will This Move the Needle in Parliament?
Congress has pledged to raise the issue in the Monsoon Session, with leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge offering full backing to the protestors.
However, it remains to be seen:
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Whether the Speaker will allow debate time
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If BJP will respond seriously or dismissively
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Whether other opposition parties will join forces or stay aloof after Omar’s reaction
Bottom-Line: Protest or Performance? Symbolism vs Substance
The Jantar Mantar protest by the Congress has revived attention on Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood—but it also reveals the complex politics behind opposition movements in India.
To the people of Jammu & Kashmir, what matters most isn’t which party leads the charge—it’s whether the demand is met. As long as the region continues without an elected assembly, local laws, and legislative powers, it will remain a Union Territory in form, and a democracy in deficit.
Whether the Congress protest leads to real parliamentary action or becomes another symbolic performance will depend on what unfolds in the days to come.
