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| Gherao vs Gherao: NC-BJP to turn J&K streets into battleground today | | To counter BJP's secretariat gherao programme, NC announces to gherao saffron party offices in Jammu, Srinagar | | SANJAY PANDITA
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 1: Jammu and Kashmir is bracing for a high-voltage political clash on Wednesday, as the ruling National Conference (NC) and the principal opposition BJP prepare to take their rivalry to the streets with simultaneous demonstrations and counter-demonstrations.
The battle lines were drawn on Tuesday when the NC announced it would gherao BJP headquarters in both Srinagar and Jammu, hitting back at the saffron party's own call for a Civil Secretariat gherao - a protest the BJP had unveiled to target what it calls the Omar Abdullah government's failures on every front.
In a statement issued through its official social media handle, the NC said its peaceful demonstrations would target the Union Government's accountability over commitments made both in Parliament and before the Supreme Court of India. The party framed the protest around a set of long-pending demands: constitutional guarantees, restoration of full statehood, clearance of the stalled reservation file, and what it called justice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The mandate of the people of Jammu & Kashmir is not a blank cheque. It must be respected, not taken for granted," the party declared, signaling that patience over New Delhi's stated promises is wearing thin.
The NC's move comes as the latest flashpoint in its sustained campaign for restoration of statehood and constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory - a demand that has simmered since J&K's special status was revoked.
The counter-mobilization traces back to August 26, when the BJP first announced a major protest against the Omar Abdullah-led government over a steep hike in electricity tariffs. The party has planned a Secretariat Gherao for September 2, with the protest march set to kick off from Lal Chowk before converging on the Civil Secretariat.
At the heart of the BJP's outrage is a 6.83 per cent tariff increase - set to take effect from September 1 - which the party says will pile fresh financial burden onto ordinary households. BJP leaders have sharpened their attack by invoking the Omar Abdullah government's own election promise of 200 free electricity units for eligible households, calling the hike a betrayal of that commitment and branding it "anti-people." The party has demanded an immediate rollback.
Beyond electricity pricing, BJP leaders say the Secretariat Gherao will also spotlight allegations of backdoor appointments, corruption, and administrative misgovernance under the NC-led dispensation. The party claims thousands of participants - including workers and representatives from various sections of society - are expected to join the march.
With both parties now mobilizing cadres for competing shows of strength on the same day, Wednesday is shaping up as a direct test of street power between the treasury and opposition benches - one that could set the tone for J&K's political temperature in the weeks ahead. |
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