Mehbooba Mufti Conditions Joining J&K Statehood Protest in New Delhi

National Conference (NC) leaders, including President Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, arrived in New Delhi on July 18 to organize a protest scheduled for July 20 at Jantar Mantar. The demonstration seeks to pressure the Central Government to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. While the Indian National Congress has pledged support and will send legislators, the Delhi administration has not yet confirmed official permission for the event.

Mehbooba Mufti, president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), initially declined the NC's invitation and later conditioned her party's participation on the expansion of the protest agenda. Mufti argued that focusing solely on statehood would be a "half-hearted" demand that risks legitimizing the central government's August 5, 2019, actions. She insisted the event must prioritize the restoration of Article 370 and the release of political prisoners.

Mufti criticized the Omar Abdullah-led government for acting as a "mute spectator" to arbitrary detentions and crackdowns. She urged Farooq Abdullah to convene an all-party meeting with regional parties and civil society to establish a comprehensive roadmap for restoring constitutional and democratic rights. Meanwhile, the Government of India has maintained that statehood will be restored at an "appropriate time," though no specific timeline has been provided.