Ruling NC and Opposition BJP Stage Rival Gherao Protests in Srinagar and Jammu Over Statehood, Governance

Jammu & Kashmir's ruling National Conference (NC) and opposition BJP staged simultaneous rival protests in Srinagar and Jammu on September 2, 2026. NC workers, led by party president Farooq Abdullah, gheraoed BJP's Srinagar and Jammu headquarters (the latter at Trikuta Nagar), demanding restoration of full statehood, constitutional guarantees, clearance of the reservation file and accountability for promises the Union government made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court; Abdullah said the people of J&K 'would no longer remain silent' over the denial of statehood. BJP workers separately gathered at Ghanta Ghar, Lal Chowk, and attempted to march on the Civil Secretariat, accusing the Omar Abdullah-led NC government of failing on unemployment, power cuts, water shortages, a recent electricity tariff hike and delayed Panchayati Raj elections. Jammu and Kashmir Police deployed riot personnel, sealed key routes and blocked both marches from reaching their targets, detaining activists from each side; officials said the heavy deployment was meant only to keep the rival camps apart, not impose a blanket ban on protest.