Kashmir Opposition Stages Protest on Anniversary of Article 370 Abrogation
Srinagar, Aug 5 — The streets of Srinagar remained tense on Tuesday as the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) attempted to march in protest against the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A — a constitutional move that stripped the region of its special status and bifurcated the former state into two union territories, reported by Kashmir News Media.
Dozens of NC leaders, led by party’s Kashmir president Showkat Ahmad Mir, gathered at the party headquarters, Nawa-i-Subah, to mark the sixth anniversary of the constitutional changes imposed on August 5, 2019. Holding placards and raising slogans such as “Restore Article 370” and “Black laws not acceptable,” they intended to march toward the iconic Lal Chowk.
However, the Jammu and Kashmir police swiftly cordoned off the area, locking the main gates of the party office and halting the protest. In the scuffle that followed, NC MLA Salman Sagar reportedly sustained foot injuries. “He was pushed in the melee,” said NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, who condemned the police action as a denial of democratic rights.
The protest was aimed not only at rejecting the abrogation but also demanding the long-promised restoration of statehood. “It’s been six years, and we’re still waiting,” said Dar.
Outside the NC, other political voices also weighed in. Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), described August 5 as a “brutal reminder of democracy being undermined,” vowing to reclaim what was “forcibly taken.”
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari echoed similar sentiments, calling the anniversary “a painful reminder of a dark chapter” in Kashmir’s political history. Urging the central government to open “genuine, inclusive dialogue,” he emphasized the need for peace, justice, and dignity.
While New Delhi maintains the move integrated the region more firmly with the rest of India and opened avenues for development, critics argue it came at the cost of political representation, regional identity, and constitutional protections.
As Kashmir marks yet another year since the controversial decision, the divide between power and people continues to deepen — with little sign of reconciliation on the horizon.
