Srinagar, July 23 -- Congress leaders and workers from Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here seeking restoration of full statehood to the Union Territory. Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, AICC in-charge of J&K Naseer Hussain and J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra, among others, took part in the protest.

Congress Working Committee member and legislator Ghulam Ahmad Mir, while addressing the rally, said, "We were promised statehood by the Centre. Ten months have passed and nothing has been done." Venugopal stated on X, "J&K is the first instance of a state being downgraded into a UT which is unacceptable. I joined in the protest and spoke about the need to defend the Constitution and ...