Jammu: A protest demonstration was held in Jammu today, calling for the restoration of statehood for Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) as well as the safeguarding of land and job rights for local Kashmiri residents.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protest was spearheaded by senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Jayesh Gupta. He was joined by supporters and party workers who held placards advocating for the restoration of statehood, the Darbar Move, and exclusive rights for locals concerning land and employment.
In his address to the crowd, Jayesh Gupta criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its role in downgrading IIOJK to a Union Territory and for discontinuing the historical Darbar Move practice. Gupta stated, “The Darbar Move was a symbol of integration between Jammu and Kashmir regions, and the BJP has acted as a villain by ending this tradition and taking away special rights granted by Maharaja Hari Singh.”
The demonstrators stressed the importance of reinstating special status provisions for land and job rights as per local reservation laws.