The National Conference (NC) has decided to observe 5 August as the day of mourning as the centre had on this day last year abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement on Tuesday, the NC said 5th of August is the “darkest patch in the history of J&K marking the forcible, illegal and unconstitutional infringement on the rights of its people saying the party will fight the battle for the restoration of people’s rights peacefully and legally”.

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Terming the action undertaken on the 5 August 2019 as “undemocratic onslaught” on the rights and honor of the people of J&K, party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said the measures were breach of faith and outrageous back peddling on the solemn commitments the people of Jammu and Kashmir had got from the union of India at the time of Accession.

“The commitments had come from the country, profusely guaranteed by its constitution. While the people of J&K have stood by their word, the union of India chose to “backtrack” from its solemn commitments made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir “unilaterally and undemocratically”. The decisions that were taken on the 5th of August were taken on “false excuses” all of which stand debunked today. One year later the situation is as it was, it has rather become more fragile and unstable. The dividends that the nullification of the Articles 370 and 35-A were claimed to give are not perceptible on ground. It was also sold to the rest of the country that the decisions of the BJP government have fared well with the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. If the people are that pleased at the drastic changes undertaken last year then why do we have curfew imposed in Kashmir today. People of Jammu are equally upset and worried about their future. There is not a single soul in J&K which is not feeling humiliated, and ditched,” he said.

He said the measures have destroyed the space for mainstream in J&K and ditched their cause, which they have nurtured with their blood over the years. “One of the pretexts fudged by the Government of India was to get J&K at par with other states purportedly to let them avail all other rights. Let alone bringing it at par with other states, there has been no cessation on the infringement of people’s rights since August last year. The internet hasn’t been fully restored, scores of political activists and leaders continue to remain incarcerated, the environment is filled with fear and anxiety as it was on August 5th last year.”