Mehbooba Mufti has said she will join the National Conference’s July 20 Jantar Mantar protest only if the agenda includes the restoration of Article 370 and the release of political prisoners, not just the demand for J&K statehood.
In her statement, the PDP chief argued that restricting the protest to statehood alone would “legitimise and sanitise” the abrogation of J&K’s special status on August 5, 2019. She insisted that the struggle must remain focused on constitutional safeguards and the rights of the people.
The NC has called the protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20, coinciding with the start of Parliament’s Monsoon Session. Congress has extended support, while JKPC and Apni Party have declined to participate.
Mehbooba Mufti’s conditional stance highlights the political divide in J&K, with NC pressing for statehood restoration and PDP demanding a broader agenda including Article 370, prisoner release, and lifting the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami.
