Jammu: Concerns escalated among various socio-political groups in Jammu, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, following a recent directive from the Indian Home Ministry that grants additional powers to the Lieutenant Governor. The groups have threatened to initiate a relay hunger strike if the order is not rescinded by the month’s end.

According to Kashmir Media Service, participants in a recent meeting voiced alarm over the potential implications of the new order on local governance and the ongoing human rights issues within the region. Prominent attendees included former minister Gulchain Singh Charak, former MP Abdul Rashid, and representatives from major political entities like Congress, National Conference, and Peoples Democratic Party, along with members of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and other social activists.

The gathering, which also saw the involvement of lawyers and civic leaders, underscored a collective apprehension about increasing central control over the region’s administrative affairs, fearing it could further complicate the already tense human rights landscape in the territory.