People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Thursday that her party would continue to observe the Union Territory (UT) Foundation Day as a black day till the special powers of the erstwhile state were not restored.

“… I want to tell Governor Sahab that for Jammu and Kashmir and especially for the PDP, today is a black day. We will continue to observe it as a black day until the special powers of Jammu and Kashmir are not restored, ” Mehbooba Mufti told reporters in Anantnag.

“I’ve said this earlier too that J&K has become a laboratory for BJP…They want to give a message to the minority in the country…,” Mehbooba Mufti added.
Earlier in the day, J&K LG Manoj Sinha questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other National Conference (NC) leaders for not attending the sixth Union UT Foundation Day celebrations on Thursday.

In his statement, Sinha underlined the significance of observing UT Day, noting that Jand K’s current status as a Union Territory is a reality.

“This is not the first time we are celebrating this day. The elections in JK just finished a few days back…Everyone cannot come to attend the event but Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory as of date and we will have to accept this fact. PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah also said the delimitation first, Assembly elections second and then statehood. When PM Modi came here on Yoga Day, he said that Assembly elections will be conducted soon and then the status of statehood will be given to JK,” Sinha said.

National Conference leaders have been vocal in their opposition to UT Day, calling for a return to full statehood. NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq earlier stated that the NC would not observe UT Day because the party does not recognize Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory, claiming that its status was taken from the people of J-K in 2019 and was unconstitutional.

Speaking to ANI, the JKNC spokesperson reiterated, “We will never settle for Union Territory status. Our demand is firm: full statehood and the rightful status Jammu and Kashmir held before August 5, 2019.”

J&K UT Foundation Day marks the creation of the Union Territory under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. This year, like the previous one, it was celebrated at the Convention Centre in Jammu.

Meanwhile, on Monday, LG Manoj Sinha held a review meeting to discuss the security situation and development aspects in all districts of the Kashmir division ahead of the Union territory’s founding day.

The meeting took place in Srinagar and was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Principal Secretary for Home Chandraker Bharti, and other senior officials.