SRINAGAR: Congress kicked off Saturday a programme of hunger strikes to press for restoration of J&K’s statehood, ploughing a lonely furrow with none of its INDIA bloc allies, including governing National Conference (NC), joining in.J&K Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra led the fasts in Srinagar coinciding with Quit India Movement’s anniversary as part of a series of protests by the party in the past two months on the issue. Karra announced that Congress workers would fast in different districts of J&K from Aug 9 to Aug 21 — when Parliament’s monsoon session concludes.Amid chants of “We want statehood”, Karra pointed out that after the abrogation of Article 370 on Aug 5, 2019, the Narendra Modi govt had repeatedly promised to restore statehood and BJP leaders had publicly reaffirmed their commitment during election campaigns.“No steps have been taken. We feel they are not serious about their promise. This has compelled us to stage protests last month in Srinagar, Jammu, and at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Now we have started this hunger strike programme,” Karra said.On July 17, Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to PM Modi to introduce a bill in the ongoing monsoon session to restore J&K’s statehood. Two days later, the party held protests in Kashmir, followed by a demonstration on the first day of the monsoon session in Delhi. The party also observed Aug 5 as a “black day.”Karra urged political forces, irrespective of political ideologies, to join the latest protests. “Every party is appealing for restoration of statehood. What stops them from joining us?” Karra asked in comments seen as an allusion to ally NC.Chief minister and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah had last month voiced displeasure at not being consulted or informed when Congress launched its protests in Delhi. Three days ago, Omar wrote to all national parties, including BJP, to help bring a bill in the Parliament’s current session for statehood restoration.Karra, however, argued that the CM should have directly written to Modi. “I don’t know why he (Omar) preferred parties for the letter rather than the PM.”