National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah on Monday, 20 July led a protest in New Delhi demanding the immediate restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's full statehood, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour commitments made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court. The demonstration coincided with the opening day of Parliament's Monsoon Session, amplifying its political weight.

Where the Protest Unfolded

NC leaders, workers, and supporters assembled at the Jammu and Kashmir House on Prithviraj Road after the Delhi administration failed to communicate permission for the originally planned venue at Jantar Mantar by Monday morning, according to NC leaders. Protesters carried placards reading 'Apna wada pura karo' (Fulfil your promise), 'Restore rights and dignity of people of J&K', and 'Restore full statehood', while raising slogans questioning why Modi's promise had remained unfulfilled.

What Farooq Abdullah Said

'We are fighting for full statehood, which was promised by the prime minister and the home minister in Parliament, as well as in the Supreme Court, and also to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,' Farooq Abdullah told reporters. He added: 'I hope the government will respect the wishes of the people of this country... and that the problems of Ladakh will also be solved and the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir will be restored.'

Congress Joins the Demonstration

Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders also participated, including state unit president Tariq Hamid Karra and AICC member Ghulam Ahmad Mir, signalling cross-party convergence on the statehood demand. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was separately seen walking towards the Constitution Club, where a seminar on J&K statehood restoration was being held simultaneously.

Clashes and Metro Disruptions Elsewhere in Delhi

Separately, Delhi Police used sticks and batons to disperse hundreds of students and youth activists who had marched from Mandi House Metro Station towards Jantar Mantar, according to eyewitnesses. Protesters marching towards Parliament from the Sansad Marg side were stopped by security forces at Raisina Road, barely 200 metres from Parliament. The Delhi Metro announced the temporary closure of five stations citing security reasons, though gates at Central Secretariat and Rajiv Chowk were later reopened with interchange facilities restored. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a separate activist outfit also present at Jantar Mantar, said the government had reached out to them for talks, with two of its spokespersons meeting Union Minister J.P. Nadda to present their demands.

The Statehood Question: Background

Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh — in August 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370. The Union government had subsequently indicated before the Supreme Court that statehood restoration was on the agenda, a commitment that has yet to be fulfilled. This protest marks one of the most visible public campaigns on the issue since the NC returned to power in the region. With Parliament's Monsoon Session now underway, the ruling party's leadership is pressing the Centre to translate its assurances into legislative action.