‘Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq’: Congress Intensifies Campaign for Jammu & Kashmir Statehood

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'Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq': Congress Intensifies Campaign for Jammu & Kashmir Statehood

Congress Launches 21-Day Statehood Campaign in Jammu & Kashmir, Marks August 5 as Black Day

By: Javid Amin | 01 Aug 2025

A Strategic Escalation: Congress Resurrects Statehood Demands

In a bold move aiming to reignite public momentum, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has rolled out a 21-day statewide protest campaign titled “Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq” (Our State, Our Right).

Spearheaded by senior leader Tariq Hameed Karra, the campaign demands complete and undivided statehood restoration—not a diluted or phased version, but a full reversal of the post-2019 constitutional reordering.

This symbolic and action-oriented campaign seeks to reclaim the political narrative in a region still navigating the aftershocks of Article 370’s abrogation.

Campaign Highlights

August 5: Black Day Observance

Marking six years since the revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories, Congress will observe August 5 as a “Black Day”.

  • A major protest rally is scheduled at Maharaja Hari Singh Park in Jammu.

  • All district headquarters will witness peaceful sit-ins, signaling unified resistance.

August 9–20: Hunger Strikes Across the Valley

Congress leaders will participate in rotational hunger strikes in:

  • Srinagar

  • Jammu

These events will culminate on August 21, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, as a tribute to his legacy of democratic decentralization and federal empowerment.

Public Outreach: “Chauraha Pe Charcha”

The party is introducing innovative mass contact modules:

  • Street-corner conversations

  • Civil society dialogues

  • Engagements with traders, transporters, students, and women’s groups

These are designed to bring politics back to the people, said Karra, and revive issue-based activism in a region fatigued by political ambiguity.

Karra’s Firm Stand: “No Half-Measures, Only Full Statehood”

Speaking at the campaign’s launch, Tariq Hameed Karra minced no words:

“This is not about partial autonomy or token decentralization. Our fight is for complete and undivided statehood—restoration of rights, identity, and dignity stolen in 2019.”

He called the August 5, 2019 decisions “unilateral, unconstitutional, and deeply undemocratic”, asserting that the Congress will not rest until political justice is restored to the people of J&K.

Karra positioned Congress as “the voice of civil resistance” against central overreach, drawing a sharp contrast with the BJP’s militarized and bureaucratic approach to governance in the region.

Timing: The Monsoon Session and National Leverage

The campaign strategically coincides with the Parliament’s Monsoon Session, where Congress intends to raise the J&K statehood issue nationally.

Karra hinted at:

  • Moving a private member’s resolution on statehood

  • Building parliamentary alliances with regional parties

  • Leveraging platforms like the INDIA bloc to create pressure on the Centre

“Delhi must listen—not to us, but to the collective voice of 1.3 crore J&K citizens,” Karra said.

Why Now? A Region in Limbo

Since the revocation of J&K’s special status, the region has faced:

  • Prolonged bureaucratic rule under a Lieutenant Governor

  • Uncertainty over elected government restoration

  • Delays in conducting Assembly elections

  • Alienation stemming from centralized policymaking

Despite assurances from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on statehood “at an appropriate time,” there has been no formal roadmap, further exacerbating public frustration.

Congress’ Key Demands

  1. Immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu & Kashmir

  2. Time-bound roadmap for Assembly elections

  3. Reinstatement of public service commissions, land rights, and local institutions

  4. Reversal of repressive laws like UAPA and PSA where misused

  5. Economic stimulus and job schemes to combat youth unemployment

Political Impact: Beyond the Valley

While the Congress has often been accused of being on the back foot in Kashmir, this campaign marks a strategic re-entry into street-level politics. It may:

  • Reinvigorate Congress cadres

  • Consolidate public sympathy

  • Force regional parties like NC and PDP to clarify their statehood positions

It also sets the stage for a broader ideological battle with the BJP ahead of the next round of Assembly elections—whenever they are called.

Public Response and Future Steps

Initial reactions suggest a groundswell of support, particularly among:

  • Youth groups

  • Civil society

  • Trade unions impacted by central control and stalled development

Karra has also indicated that future actions—including marches to Delhi—are on the table, depending on the Centre’s response.

“This campaign is only Phase 1. If Delhi remains deaf, we will take the people’s voice to Raisina Hill,” he warned.

Final Word: A Political Reset or Mere Optics?

Whether this 21-day campaign translates into tangible political gains remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the Congress is no longer content to sit on the sidelines of Jammu & Kashmir’s evolving political future.

“Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq” may be more than a slogan—it could become the rallying cry for J&K’s long-denied democratic redemption.

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