Aug 11, 2025: On Sunday, the Jammu and Kashmir Congress, under the leadership of its president Tariq Hameed Karra, staged a hunger strike in Jammu in support of their demand for J&K to regain its statehood. The protest is part of a larger movement that started on Saturday in Srinagar and is expected to last until August 21.

The chain hunger strike was joined by Karra and a number of senior Congress leaders from the Jammu region, including former ministers, legislators, and District Congress Committee presidents. The demonstration began near the Maharaja Hari Singh statue at the Tawi Bridge. In support of the campaign "Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq," a large number of Congress workers and leaders gathered at the location at 10 a.m. to dress the statue and shout slogans in support of statehood. Through the evening, the hunger strike continued. However, due to the administration's refusal to grant permission for a tent to be erected on the Tawi Bridge, the venue had to be relocated. The organizers had also asked for permission to put up a tent opposite the Congress office in Shaheedi Chowk Park, but this was also turned down.

As a consequence of this, the leaders of the Congress staged a quiet sit-in on the sidewalk in front of the party office. Tensions rose when police officials, led by the SHO City, engaged in heated arguments with Karra and other senior leaders. According to a statement issued by the Congress, Karra urged party workers to remain calm and prevented the situation from escalating further.
Several senior Congress leaders criticised the police administration, alleging misbehaviour towards the peaceful protestors, including Karra.
Addressing the gathering, Karra reaffirmed the Congress party’s resolve to continue the agitation until statehood is restored. T

his concerns our rights, status, dignity, and identity. Despite the presence of an elected government, the BJP-led Central government continues to remote control J&K's government without statehood, he stated. Raman Bhalla, working president of the J&K Congress, also criticized the BJP for denying statehood for more than six years and "downgrading the historic Dogra state." He said that the BJP ruled J&K through proxies and controlled the law enforcement apparatus. Former MP Choudhary Lal Singh condemned the administration’s approach towards what he described as a peaceful protest by the country’s oldest political party for the rights of the people.