Srinagar/Jammu, Aug. 6 -- Protests and condemnation on Tuesday marked the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019. Though Valley-based political parties termed it a "black day", the Congress held protests in all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir for the restoration of statehood. The ruling National Conference and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held protests in Srinagar. In Jammu the protest was led by the working president Raman Bhalla, along with former minister Lal Singh, Mula Ram, Yogesh Sawhney, chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, AICC secretary Shah Nawaz Chaudhary, Rajnish Sharma and several others. It's a black day for us. Not only were our rights snatched six years ago but our state was also divided into two UTs. On the sixth anniversary, we are holding protests in all 20 districts of J&K and demanding the restoration of statehood at the earliest," J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra said. The NC held a protest at its party headquarters in Srinagar. Party leaders and workers carrying placards raised slogans demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and constitutional rights. A petition filed in the Supreme Court for the restoration of statehood is scheduled to be heard on August 8. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who was not allowed to take out a march along with party workers in Srinagar, said: "August 5 marks a black day not just for Jammu and Kashmir, but also for the entire nation. On this day, the Constitution was subverted not by foreign hands, but from within, by a brute majority in the heart of our democracy," Mufti said on X. Peoples Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone put out a defiant message, calling August 5 a "brutal reminder of the undermining of democracy and an ugly example of selective targeting". Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari termed the anniversary "a painful reminder of our recent history". Raman Bhalla lashed out at the BJP government for the betrayal despite repeated promises for early restoration of statehood. "Six years ago BJP snatched statehood from people and promised early restoration but today is sixth anniversary and it has not been restored despite Supreme Court directions. Congress will intensify the struggle for restoration of complete statehood and 'Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq' movement shall continue till we achieve our goal of full statehood," he said. Lal Singh cornered BJP for its authoritarian style at the Centre and said "statehood is our basic right". NC also held a protest near Raghunath Mandir in Jammu city and other district headquarters. BJP's national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Tuesday came down heavily on National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, J&K CM Omar Abdullah, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi saying that for them the interest of Pakistan was more important than national concerns. "For them Pakistan's interests are more important than the national concerns," said Chugh. "It's a dangerous cocktail of appeasement and political delusion which indicates that the Gupkar gang and the Congress again want to set J&K on fire," Chugh said adding that the Abdullahs and Gandhis cannot accept the growth and development in J&K which has been envisioned by the Modi government. Chugh said, "Six years after the abrogation of Article 370 has scripted a new chapter of progress and development in J&K during which many milestones were touched, including the Jammu-Srinagar train. Responding to Farooq Abdullah's comment that militancy will only end when India improves ties with Pakistan, Chugh said: "India's national security doesn't depend on any foreign country's goodwill and mercy. It depends on political will - and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has shown that with surgical strikes, the Balakot air strike and most recently, Operation Sindoor." Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and state secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, Pawan Sharma said that August 5 marks the real independence for J&K people. "True democracy was restored on August 5. For the first time, people in all parts of J&K - be it the Gujjar-Bakarwal community, refugees from West Pakistan, Valmiki Samaj, or the women who had been denied their rights - were given their constitutional due," said Sharma....