Srinagar, June 3 (IANS) During their daylong meeting here on Wednesday, the ruling National Conference (NC) legislators, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, decided to hold a protest on the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament in New Delhi for the restoration of statehood and other constitutional guarantees to J&K.

NC ministers, MPs, MLAs, and ruling party allies held day-long discussions at the Dachigam National Park on the outskirts of Srinagar.

NC ministers, MPs, and MLAs led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah boarded buses on the high-security Gupkar Road in the morning to hold the meeting.

The venue was not announced in advance, and until the last minute, the media kept guessing where the buses carrying the Chief Minister, ministers, MPs, and MLAs were headed.

At the end of the meeting, NC chief spokesperson and MLA Tanvir Sadiq told reporters that the deliberations were held in a cordial manner and the Chief Minister listened to the legislators patiently.

He said: “It has been unanimously decided that the NC legislature party members will hold a protest in Delhi in Jantar Mantar area or some other place decided by us on the first day of Parliament’s monsoon session.

“It was decided that the time has arrived when we must lodge our protest for the restoration of statehood and other constitutional guarantees to J&K. Our party stands with the people of J&K, and we will demand our right.”

He added that many other issues had come up during the discussions, including those concerning drug abuse, alcohol, the Pir Panjal region, Chenab Valley, and developmental issues.

“There were threadbare discussions on these issues and the Chief Minister listened to the legislators very patiently,” the spokesperson said.

CPI(M) legislator Yusuf Tarigami and five independent MLAs supporting the Omar Abdullah-led NC government also attended the meeting.

Congress, with six MLAs in the J&K Assembly, is also supporting the NC government from outside, but its MLAs had not been invited to the meeting.

–IANS

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