Mirwaiz Invited to NC's Delhi Protest; Srinagar, Jammu Rallies Set Stage for J&K Statehood Restoration Demand

Srinagar: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief preacher and head of the Muttahida Majlis‑e‑Ulema, has been invited by the National Conference to join its upcoming protest in New Delhi on July 20, aimed at pressing for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.

The party confirmed that Mirwaiz has been invited in his religious capacity, alongside Grand Mufti, Mufti Nasir‑ul‑Islam.

“Apart from political parties, the National Conference has invited Mirwaiz sahab and Mufti Nasir‑ul‑Islam,” said chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq.

Meanwhile, National Conference has extended invitations to all major political parties in the region, including the BJP, the People’s Democratic Party led by Mehbooba Mufti, and Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party.

“We have invited the president of Jammu and Kashmir BJP, as well as the heads of other parties. Most invitations have already been sent, others are being processed,” Sadiq added.

On Tuesday, more than 150 civil society representatives gathered in Srinagar at SKICC, unanimously adopting a resolution urging the Centre to restore full statehood without delay. The meeting was presided over by NC president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Ahead of the Delhi protest, the NC has announced rallies in Srinagar on July 11 and Jammu on July 12, where Omar Abdullah will address the public. The rallies will also coincide with the death anniversary of Begum Akbar Jehan, wife of party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, revered by party workers as Madar‑e‑Meharban (mother of compassion).

The mobilisation comes at a time when the ruling NC faces mounting criticism from the Opposition and growing public discontent over what many see as its failure to deliver on key election promises of restoring statehood and special status.

Barely one‑and‑a‑half years after its landslide victory in the 2024 Assembly elections, the party finds itself confronting political headwinds, particularly in the Kashmir Valley, its traditional bastion.

Despite enjoying a comfortable majority, the NC is accused of pushing its core agenda to the back burner. Some of the sharpest criticism has come from within, with Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi repeatedly accusing the leadership of failing to take decisive steps that would demonstrate its commitment to the promises made to the people.

“The upcoming rallies and the Delhi sit‑in are being projected by the National Conference as a renewed campaign to remind the Centre of its pledge to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. Yet, this push comes at a time when the party is grappling with internal dissent and mounting external pressure, making the mobilisation both a test of strength and credibility,” said a political analyst.