NC, BJP set for political face-off in Srinagar today

Srinagar, Sep 1: The ruling National Conference and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party are set for a political face-off in Srinagar city on Wednesday, with the saffron party announcing a march towards the Civil Secretariat and the NC calling for a counter-protest at the BJP headquarters.
The BJP has announced a protest march against the NC-led government, with party leaders and workers scheduled to assemble at Clock Tower, Lal Chowk, in the morning before marching towards the Civil Secretariat via M.A. Road.
The protest will be led by BJP J&K president and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma, along with senior party leaders.
The BJP had announced the September 2 protest after a recent organisational meeting in Srinagar, where its leadership accused the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led government of failing to fulfil poll promises and raised issues including the increase in electricity tariffs, alleged corruption, unemployment, outsourcing of government jobs and delay in Panchayat and urban local body elections.
The party has said these issues will form the focus of its protest, with LoP Sunil Sharma accusing the government of “misgovernance and corruption” and alleging that outsourcing of recruitment was affecting employment opportunities for youth. The BJP has also questioned the delay in grassroots elections.
Responding to the BJP programme, the NC earlier in the day announced a peaceful counter-protest at BJP headquarters in Srinagar and Jammu.
The NC said that in Srinagar, its workers have been asked to assemble at Gindun Park, near Police Station Rajbagh, in the morning before proceeding as part of the party’s protest programme. The party said its protest would seek accountability from the Union Government over commitments made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court of India.
The ruling party has also listed restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, constitutional guarantees, clearance of the reservation file and justice for the people of J&K among its key demands.
The NC also said the electoral mandate given by the people of Jammu and Kashmir “is not a blank cheque” and must be respected.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s protest comes ahead of the upcoming Assembly session and is expected to bring several governance and public-interest issues into sharper political focus. The party has already said its legislators will raise issues concerning development, employment, local democracy, electricity tariffs and governance in the House. (KNO)