Jammu: The top leadership of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, including the party’s national secretary G.A. Mir and its J&K president Tariq Hameed Karra, were detained in Jammu on Sunday (July 20, 2025), as the police foiled the party’s street campaign for the restoration of “full statehood” to J&K.
The Congress leaders faced off with the J&K police when they began a protest in Jammu’s Gandhi Nagar area under their ‘Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq (Our State, Our Rights)‘ campaign, with a ‘Jammu Chalo’ march on Sunday, and plans for a ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to gherao Parliament as well.
“In a blatant display of authority, the police under the control of the BJP and the Lieutenant Governor’s administration arrested the party leaders,” a Congress spokesperson said.
The Congress accused the police of “manhandling” Rajouri MLA Iftkhar Ahmed.
“The J&K police behaviour during the ‘Jammu Chalo’ march for Statehood restoration is utterly unacceptable. This kind of behaviour directed at an elected representative not only undermines democratic principles but also infringes upon the right to peaceful protest,” the Congress spokesperson said.
The party said it was imperative that authorities conduct a thorough investigation immediately, hold those responsible accountable, and reinforce democratic values to restore and maintain public trust in public institutions. “Such actions cannot be endured in a healthy democracy,” the party spokesperson added.
The J&K party chief, Mr. Karra, slammed the police action. “The administration used undemocratic methods to foil our peaceful campaign, which has been going on for the past six months. Today’s procession was in favour of our ‘Chalo Chalo, Delhi Chalo’ campaign. We will not be silenced or stopped,” he said.
“Our party’s peaceful call for ‘Jammu Chalo’ to demand the restoration of statehood for Jammu & Kashmir was met with a massive show of force. Barricades, locked gates, and a protest site turned into a chawni (cantonment). Is this the new normal? An undeclared emergency where submitting a memorandum and protesting for our rights is treated as a crime?” he added.
The Congress leaders and workers were heading to the Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum on the restoration of Statehood when the police took action against them.
