Srinagar | Police Tuesday foiled a sit-in protest by the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress here against the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Scores of Congress leaders and workers led by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra assembled at the party office at M A Road here and tried to hold a sit-in on the main road outside the office.

However, a posse of police prevented them from moving outside and locked the gates of the party office.

The protestors then staged the protest inside the party headquarters.

Speaking to reporters, Karra said the people of J-K were stripped off their identity on the August 5, 2019.

"On August 5, the identity of the 1.40 crore people of J-K, was stripped and J-K was not only bifurcated, but degraded as well. This is a day of mourning for the people of J-K and the Congress is observing it as a black day in all the 20 districts of J-K," he said.

On reports about possibility of Jammu being granted statehood while Kashmir stays on as a UT, Karra said any misadventure in J-K is not going to help India globally.

"It will be further devastation for the people of J-K and will create a wrong precedence in the country," he added.

Asked about the change in J-K post the abrogation, the JKPCC president said the BJP had stated it would be a 'Naya Jammu and Kashmir', but we have been "cursing this new J-K" and have requested them to return the old J-K.

"We do not want this new J-K which has disempowered the people, curbed their voices, and has not even honoured the civil liberties of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. So kindly return us old J-K," he said.