Congress to "intensify" J-K Statehood demand, to organise marches from Monday

Karra clarified that the party will only hold a march, "not a protest"

Speaking with ANI, Karra said, "We have said that we would intensify (our demand for statehood) if needed... To reiterate our statehood demand and to remind the government of India, the PM and the Home Minister, we will intensify our demand from March 24. It will only be a march, not a protest... and it will continue for 10-15 days daily."

Congress along with their allies, the ruling National Conference has been vocal about their demand for J-K's statehood from centre.

In August 2019, the Central Government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, effectively ending the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu Kashmir was also designated a Union Territory with Ladakh designated a separate UT.

Further speaking about terrorism in the UT, Tariq Hameed Karra said that it has shifted from Kashmir to Jammu.

"As far as terrorism is concerned, the entire Jammu is watching how terrorism has shifted from Kashmir to Jammu. There is no district where there has not been an incident. This one narrative he (Union Home Minister) has prepared is just to mislead the people," he said.

On Friday, Union Minister Amit Shah said that BJP has maintained a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism since coming to power in 2014.

Replying to the discussion in the Parliament on the working of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Shah said that India's security, development, and sovereignty faced three major challenges over the past four decades -- terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir (J-K), insurgency in the Northeast, and Left-wing Naxalism. He also emphasized that the Modi government has taken decisive steps to eradicate these threats and ensure national security. (ANI)