NC's July 20 J-K statehood protest attempt to divert attention from its govt's failures: BJP

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) The BJP on Friday alleged that the National Conference's proposed protest over the demand for statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is an attempt to divert public attention from their failures and derail peace in the Union Territory. The National Conference (NC), which rules J-K, has written to 52 leaders of political and religious outfits across the country, inviting them to join the party's protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on July 20 to press the Centre for restoration of J-K's statehood. The party has also invited the BJP's J-K president Sat Sharma to join the protest. Hitting out at the NC over its call for protest, BJP in-charge for party affairs in J-K Tarun Chugh told PTI Videos, "This is merely an attempt to divert attention and shift the focus away from their own incompetence and failures." He also alleged that it is an attempt to "cover up" the fact that the ruling NC has "reneged" on the promises it made in its poll manifesto. "The 'Gupkar gang' is trying to revive a dead issue," the BJP leader charged. "Abdullah ji, do you remember the promises you made in your manifesto? Has even a single one of those promises been fulfilled so far?" he asked the NC leadership. Chugh said that a new era of "peace, tourism, development and transparency" has dawned in J-K. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, tourism is back on track, and peace and development are clearly visible," he said. "They want to derail the development, tourism and peace of Jammu and Kashmir and they want to divert attention from their own failure to keep their promises," the BJP leader said, slamming the NC and other leaders who would be joining the July 20 protest in Delhi. Leader of Opposition in the J-K Assembly Sunil Sharma dubbed the ruling NC's proposed protest at Jantar Mantar as an "eye-wash", saying the government was trying to "hide its failures" through such "theatrics". Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Sharma said the BJP will not participate in the protest. "They (NC) have come up with new theatrics to hide their failures. I fail to understand why the people of J-K get attracted to their theatrics," he said, alleging that they have enacted several dramas for the last three generations. "Now the third generation is enacting a drama at the Jantar Mantar. This is an eye-wash. You are indulging in corruption in the name of statehood," the BJP leader said. Asserting that statehood will come through Parliament and not via Jantar Mantar, Sharma said his party will not participate in the proposed protest. "Why should we go to Jantar Mantar? With whom should we go? With these impostors, these thugs, these thieves, these corrupt people? "They are taking those people along who used to speak the language of separatism, who have caused bloodshed in Kashmir. The BJP rejects such thieves, looters, and murderers," he said. PTI PK PK KSS KSS