Farooq Abdullah: NC won't beg anyone to join J&K statehood protest
Synopsis
Farooq Abdullah's blunt 'no begging bowl' remark signals the NC is done seeking political allies for its Jantar Mantar march — but the protest already has a fault line, with estranged MP Ruhullah Mehdi insisting Article 370 restoration, not just statehood, must be the headline demand. The Monsoon Session showdown is shaping up to be as much about internal NC tensions as about pressure on the Centre.
Key Takeaways
Dr Farooq Abdullah said the National Conference will not invite or solicit any party to join its statehood protest in New Delhi .
The NC has planned a march at Jantar Mantar on the first day of Parliament's Monsoon Session .
The protest demand centres on restoration of statehood and constitutional guarantees to J&K , decided at a 7-hour NC legislators' meeting.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged INDIA bloc partners to participate.
Estranged NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi says he will join but wants Article 370 restoration to be the primary demand.
J&K lost statehood in August 2019 ; the Supreme Court directed its restoration in December 2023 , but it remains pending.
National Conference (NC) President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday that his party will not solicit support from any political group to join its planned demonstration in New Delhi demanding the restoration of statehood to J&K. Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah made clear that participation in the protest is entirely voluntary.
What Abdullah Said
'Whoever wants to join the protest can do so. We are not going to anyone with a (begging) bowl,' Abdullah told reporters, firmly dismissing suggestions that the NC would pursue a coalition-building exercise ahead of the demonstration.
He added that the party is constitutionally within its rights to protest. 'We are already fighting for it. What more do you want? We are not silent. We will continue to fight. We have the right constitutionally to protest against what they have taken from us,' he said.
The Planned Delhi Protest
The NC has announced a protest march at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on the first day of Parliament's Monsoon Session, a date chosen for maximum legislative visibility. The decision was taken during a 7-hour meeting of NC legislators last week, where members resolved to push for both statehood restoration and constitutional guarantees for J&K.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also serves as the party's Vice President, has separately urged constituents of the INDIA bloc to participate in the march, signalling an attempt to broaden the protest's political base.
On Special Status and Article 370
When asked about the prospects of J&K regaining its special status, Dr Abdullah was candid: 'I am not god. Only Allah knows, and those who are in power in Delhi.' He nonetheless reaffirmed that the NC remains committed to fighting for the restoration of special status.
Notably, estranged NC Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has indicated he will join the protest, but has insisted that the primary demand should be the restoration of Article 370 — a position that goes beyond the NC's stated focus on statehood. The party has reportedly not been inviting Mehdi to its internal meetings since he publicly alleged that the NC had done little to honour commitments made in its 2024 election manifesto.
Broader Context
J&K was stripped of its statehood and special status in August 2019, when the Centre abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Supreme Court upheld the abrogation in December 2023, but directed the Centre to restore statehood 'as soon as possible.' That restoration remains pending, and the NC's march represents one of the most visible political pressures yet on the Centre to act.
With Parliament's Monsoon Session approaching, the NC's protest is set to place the statehood question squarely on the national agenda once again.
Point of View
Legally defensible ask for statehood and the more maximalist aspirations of its own electorate. The NC won the 2024 assembly election partly on statehood promises; if the Monsoon Session protest draws thin crowds or fractures publicly, it risks validating Mehdi's earlier charge that the party is underdelivering. The Centre, meanwhile, has every incentive to let the NC's internal contradictions do the work for it.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Conference's protest in Delhi about?
The National Conference has planned a protest march at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on the first day of Parliament's Monsoon Session, demanding the restoration of statehood and constitutional guarantees to Jammu and Kashmir. The decision was taken at a 7-hour meeting of NC legislators.
Why did Farooq Abdullah say the NC won't 'beg' anyone to join?
Dr Farooq Abdullah was responding to questions about whether the NC would actively seek allies for the protest. He said participation is open to all but the party will not solicit support, remarking: 'We are not going to anyone with a (begging) bowl.'
What is Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi's position on the protest?
Estranged NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has said he will join the protest but insists the primary demand should be the restoration of Article 370, which goes beyond the NC's stated focus on statehood. The NC has reportedly not been including Mehdi in its internal meetings since he publicly criticised the party's delivery on its 2024 election manifesto.
When did J&K lose its statehood and what has the Supreme Court said?
Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of statehood in August 2019 when the Centre abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories. The Supreme Court upheld the abrogation in December 2023 but directed the Centre to restore statehood as soon as possible — a directive that remains unimplemented.
Has Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also called for support for the march?
Yes, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also the NC's Vice President, has urged constituents of the INDIA bloc to join the protest march, seeking to widen political backing for the statehood demand.
