BJP to protest against autonomy demand for J&K

The BJP in Jammu today said that it would hold protests in 41 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday against the demand for autonomy, which the party termed as an attention diverting tactic from real issues.

"It is high time that chief minister Omar Abdullah resigned on moral grounds as he has not been able to bring any respite to people from the turmoil in the Valley for last two months," BJP president Shamsher Singh Manhas told reporters in Jammu.

Accusing Omar and his father Farooq Abdullah of diverting people's attention from the present turmoil by raking up the issue of autonomy, Manhas alleged "it shows their bankruptcy as they are not able to address the real issues or problems facing the people in three regions of the state".

The BJP chief said that the party has decided to hold protest dharnas in 37 Assembly constituencies of Jammu province, two of Kashmir and two of Ladakh region on September 8 against the autonomy issue.

He also asked the National Conference leaders as to why they remained silent for so long after passing the autonomy resolution in the state legislature over a decade back.