Sunil Sharma Calls NC’s Delhi Statehood Protest a ‘Diversion’; BJP Plans Counter-Protests Across Jammu & Kashmir
By: News Desk | 18 July 2026
Leader of Opposition Says NC Should Focus on Unemployment, Corruption and Public Services Instead of ‘Political Theatre’
The political battle over Jammu and Kashmir’s demand for restoration of statehood has intensified, with Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma accusing the ruling National Conference (NC) of using its proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to divert public attention from what he described as the government’s failures on governance.
The remarks come as the National Conference prepares to lead a demonstration in the national capital, demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s full statehood. While the NC has portrayed the protest as a constitutional campaign, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dismissed it as an attempt to shift the political narrative away from issues affecting everyday governance.
Adding another dimension to the confrontation, the BJP has announced its own protest programmes across Jammu and Kashmir, saying it will directly engage with the public on what it calls the shortcomings of the Omar Abdullah-led government.
The competing demonstrations are expected to further sharpen political divisions as both parties seek to shape public opinion ahead of future political developments in the Union Territory.
What Sunil Sharma Said
Addressing the media, Sunil Sharma alleged that the National Conference was attempting to use the statehood issue to avoid accountability on governance.
According to Sharma, the government should first answer questions relating to:
- Rising unemployment.
- Alleged corruption.
- Infrastructure deficiencies.
- Delivery of public services.
- Development promises made during elections.
He argued that symbolic protests cannot substitute for effective governance and claimed that the ruling party was trying to regain political momentum through public demonstrations rather than administrative performance.
These remarks reflect the BJP’s political criticism of the NC government.
National Conference’s Position
The National Conference has consistently maintained that the restoration of full statehood is a constitutional and democratic right.
According to the party, restoring statehood is necessary to:
- Strengthen democratic institutions.
- Enhance the powers of the elected government.
- Improve administrative accountability.
- Restore constitutional arrangements that existed before the 2019 reorganisation.
The NC argues that the Delhi protest is intended to keep the issue of statehood at the centre of national political discourse and has repeatedly stated that governance and the demand for statehood are not mutually exclusive.
BJP Announces Counter-Protests Across Jammu & Kashmir
In response to the National Conference’s mobilisation, the BJP has announced counter-protests and public outreach programmes across Jammu and Kashmir.
According to BJP leaders, these programmes will focus on highlighting issues that the party says the NC government has failed to address.
The BJP’s campaign is expected to emphasise:
- Employment opportunities.
- Development projects.
- Transparency and accountability.
- Public welfare schemes.
- Performance of the Omar Abdullah-led administration.
The party aims to present its protests as an alternative political narrative, arguing that governance should take precedence over what it describes as symbolic political campaigns.
Competing Political Narratives
The latest confrontation reflects two sharply contrasting political messages.
National Conference’s Narrative
The NC argues that:
- Restoration of statehood is a constitutional obligation.
- Democratic rights should be restored without delay.
- The Delhi protest seeks to build national consensus.
- Constitutional issues remain central to Jammu and Kashmir’s future.
BJP’s Narrative
The BJP maintains that:
- Governance should remain the government’s foremost responsibility.
- Public concerns such as employment and infrastructure deserve immediate attention.
- The NC is attempting to divert attention from its administrative performance.
- Development and accountability matter more to citizens than political symbolism.
These competing narratives are likely to dominate political discourse in the coming weeks.
Political Significance
Statehood Versus Governance
The debate increasingly centres on whether constitutional demands and governance should be viewed as separate political priorities.
The National Conference argues that restoration of statehood is itself essential for better governance, as a full-fledged state government would possess greater administrative authority.
The BJP counters that the existing government must first demonstrate effective governance within the current constitutional framework before seeking broader constitutional changes.
This disagreement represents one of the central political fault lines in Jammu and Kashmir today.
A Battle for Public Opinion
Both parties are seeking to influence public perception through parallel campaigns.
The NC hopes to mobilise support around constitutional rights and democratic representation.
The BJP intends to focus attention on everyday concerns such as employment, development, public services and accountability.
Whichever narrative resonates more strongly with voters could shape the political discourse in the months ahead.
Broader Political Context
The statehood issue has become one of the defining political questions in Jammu and Kashmir since the reorganisation of the former state into two Union Territories in August 2019.
Regional parties, including the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party, have repeatedly demanded restoration of full statehood.
The Union Government has stated on multiple occasions that statehood will be restored at an appropriate time, although it has not announced a specific timeline.
Against this backdrop, both the ruling NC and the opposition BJP are attempting to frame the issue in ways that strengthen their respective political positions.
Political Analysis: Two Campaigns, Two Priorities
The National Conference’s Delhi protest and the BJP’s proposed demonstrations across Jammu and Kashmir reflect fundamentally different political strategies.
The NC is attempting to elevate the constitutional question of statehood to the national stage, arguing that democratic governance cannot be fully restored without it.
The BJP, meanwhile, seeks to redirect the conversation toward governance, administrative performance and delivery of public services. By organising protests within Jammu and Kashmir, the party is signalling that it wants political debate to remain focused on issues affecting citizens’ daily lives.
The parallel campaigns also illustrate how political messaging has become increasingly competitive, with each side seeking to define the dominant narrative before the public.
Challenges Ahead
Several questions are likely to shape the next phase of the political contest:
- Will the National Conference’s Delhi protest attract support from other regional parties?
- How extensive will the BJP’s counter-protests across Jammu and Kashmir be?
- Will governance issues overshadow the constitutional debate on statehood?
- Can the two competing narratives coexist, or will one emerge as the dominant public concern?
Conclusion
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma’s criticism of the National Conference’s proposed Delhi protest has intensified the debate over the future direction of Jammu and Kashmir’s politics. While the NC continues to argue that restoration of statehood is a constitutional imperative, the BJP contends that the government should first address governance challenges, including employment, infrastructure and public service delivery.
With the National Conference preparing for its Jantar Mantar demonstration and the BJP planning counter-protests across Jammu and Kashmir, the coming days are likely to witness an increasingly visible contest over constitutional rights, governance and political accountability. How the public responds to these competing narratives could significantly influence the political landscape in the Union Territory.
