Congress stages protests at district headquarters in Jammu\

The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Tuesday staged protests at various district headquarters against the prevailing "economic crisis" in the country and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories.

The protests, led by senior party leaders, were held at various district headquarters in Jammu region, including Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Ramban, Rajouri and Kishtwar, and ended peacefully, chief spokesperson of Pradesh Congress Committee Ravinder Sharma said.

He said the protesters submitted two separate memoranda to the administration highlighting the unprecedented price hike, rising unemployment and overall economic crisis in the country, besides demanding restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest with constitutional safeguards for the land and jobs for the locals.

"India's economy is in shambles. Job creation is in coma and agriculture growth is alarmingly low. The sinking economy, the shrinking savings, shutting down of businesses and spiralling bank frauds reflect the sad state of affairs of the economy under the BJP government," Sharma said, quoting the memorandum.

He said the BJP government is selling India's interests and bartering financial independence and economic stability. "Truth is that India is on the verge of a financial emergency," Sharma added.

Referring to the second memorandum, he said it talked about "arbitrary and unconstitutional" decision of the Centre to bifurcate the state into two UTs.

He said the memorandum demanded restoration of full statehood status of Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest with constitutional safeguards for the land and jobs for the locals, besides fulfilling the important commitments and promises to the people, especially youth of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions.

The Congress is also planning a protest march in Jammu on November 23 on the issues as part of nationwide protests by the party.

Earlier, the Congress held a series of programmes across Jammu region to pay tributes to former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her 102nd birth anniversary.