Jammu, Jun 6 (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary on Saturday warned that the ruling National Conference would launch a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi if the Centre fails to fulfil its promise of restoring statehood to the Union Territory.

Choudhary said the demand for restoration of statehood was the key resolution adopted during the recent party meeting at Dachigam in Srinagar and would remain the party's foremost political agenda.

"If the Government of India does not fulfil its promise to Jammu and Kashmir and restore statehood, we will be compelled to stage a protest at Jantar Mantar and tell the nation that the promise made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir has not been honoured," he told reporters here.

He said the Centre had assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that statehood would be restored after the Assembly elections, but despite the passage of nearly two years since the formation of the government, the promise remains unfulfilled.

He alleged that the delay in restoring statehood has adversely impacted development and employment prospects in the region.

"Unemployment remains a major concern, development-related issues are pending and people continue to face problems related to basic services such as water and electricity. Jammu and Kashmir is not receiving funding at the level of a full-fledged state," Choudhary said.

Referring to the National Conference's future course of action, he said the proposed protest in Delhi forms part of a roadmap prepared by party president Farooq Abdullah.

"The first step in that roadmap is to take our demand to Delhi and raise the issue before the entire nation," he said.

Choudhary said the party would seek support from all opposition parties and would also invite the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir to join the proposed agitation.

"If the BJP genuinely stands with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, it should join the protest. If it does not, the people will draw their own conclusions," he said.

He added that the proposed demonstration would serve as a test of which political parties genuinely support the interests of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly its unemployed youth, and are committed to securing their rights and opportunities.

Meanwhile, to strengthen public service delivery in remote and underserved areas of Jammu province, Choudhary flagged off three specialised essential services trucks for the districts of Doda, Udhampur and Jammu.

The deployment of these vehicles marks a strategic step towards enhancing the administrative and logistical capabilities of the concerned districts, ensuring prompt and efficient delivery of essential public services, particularly in far-flung and difficult terrains.

He also visited the Gadadhar temple in the Mubarak Mandi area to see the damage caused to the complex, whose portion of wall had collapsed on Friday. PTI AB AB APL APL

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