Article 370 Anniversary: NC Declares Aug 5 'Black Day'; Cong, PDP to Protest
In a statement issued by the NC headquarters here, Gupta said August 5 remains one of the "darkest days" in the constitutional and democratic history of Jammu and Kashmir.
By : PTI
Update: 2026-08-04 15:00 GMT
Jammu: National Conference provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta on Tuesday said his party would observe August 5 as "black day" to mark the "unconstitutional and unilateral" abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional guarantees in 2019, and to register a strong protest against the Centre's "refusal" to restore statehood.
The Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also announced separate protest demonstrations outside their party headquarters in Jammu to mark the seventh anniversary of the August 5, 2019 developments, when the Centre abrogated J&K's special status under Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
In a statement issued by the NC headquarters here, Gupta said August 5 remains one of the "darkest days" in the constitutional and democratic history of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The decisions taken on that day stripped the people of their constitutional safeguards and were imposed without their consent, undermining the principles of democracy, federalism and constitutional propriety. The people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to bear the political, constitutional and emotional consequences of those decisions," he said.
Gupta said while the BJP has repeatedly claimed that the downgrading of the erstwhile state was temporary, its continued reluctance to restore statehood has exposed the "hollowness" of its promises.
"The people were assured that statehood would be restored at the earliest, yet years have passed without any concrete action. Instead of fulfilling its solemn commitment, the Centre has chosen to prolong uncertainty and deny the people their legitimate democratic rights," he said.
The NC provincial president said the prolonged delay in restoring statehood has deprived Jammu and Kashmir of the constitutional authority and administrative autonomy that every full-fledged state enjoys.
He said governance under a UT framework cannot be a substitute for an elected government vested with full constitutional powers and accountability.
"A democratically elected government cannot function effectively when crucial powers remain outside its domain. This continued arrangement weakens democratic institutions and erodes the spirit of representative governance," he said.
Gupta said the overwhelming participation of the people in democratic processes in 2024 assembly elections has once again demonstrated their unwavering faith in democracy, leaving the Centre with no moral or political justification to continue withholding statehood.
He urged the Union government to respect the people's mandate, honour its repeated commitments made before the nation and the highest constitutional institutions, and immediately initiate the process for restoring Jammu and Kashmir's full statehood.
Reiterating the NC's unwavering stand, Gupta said the party will continue its peaceful and democratic struggle for the restoration of statehood and the constitutional rights and dignity of the people.
He said the observance of August 5 as "black day" is a reminder that the aspirations of the people cannot be suppressed indefinitely and that the demand for justice, democracy and constitutional restoration will continue to resonate until fulfilled.
Chief Media Coordinator, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee, Neeraj Gupta said his party is organizing a protest demonstration outside party headquarters at Shaheedi Chowk in Jammu on Wednesday and press for restoration of statehood along with constitutional guarantees for land, jobs and natural resources.
He said the party is also observing August 5 as "black day".
PDP additional spokesperson Rajat Randhawa said the activists of the party will hold a peaceful protest demonstration outside Gandhi Nagar party office to mark August 5 as "black day" and press for restoration of Article 370.