WR Desk: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Wednesday asserted that the restoration of Article 370 and statehood remains the “ultimate goal” of the National Conference, vowing to continue peaceful agitation until the special status of Jammu and Kashmir is restored.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an NC protest in Srinagar, Itoo said the demand for restoration of the rights of Jammu and Kashmir has been pursued consistently since August 2019 and will be raised at every available forum.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir chose it and they can choose any day. For us, every day is a day of protest, and every day we will peacefully demand, at every level and on every platform, that our rights be restored,” she said. The minister maintained that the demand was not limited to the NC but reflected the wider aspirations of the people across Jammu and Kashmir.”
This is not just the voice of one organisation, but it is the voice of the people of the entire Jammu and Kashmir,” she added.
Itoo denounced imposition of restrictions at several places to prevent people from joining the protest stating that checkpoints had been set up at multiple locations. She said that BJP workers were allowed to move freely through Lal Chowk while NC protesters faced restrictions.”This injustice, pressure and harassment will not be tolerated. We will continue to demand our rights and will do so peacefully. InshaAllah, we will achieve them,” she said.
“Our effort and our demand is that Article 370 and Article 35A be restored and statehood be restored, so that this high-handedness comes to an end,” Itoo added.