Srinagar, July 11 -- Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, Sunil Sharma, on Friday dubbed the ruling National Conference's (NC) proposed protest at Jantar Mantar over the statehood issue an "eye-wash," saying the government was trying to "hide its failures" through such "theatrics."

"We can't sit with 'thieves and looters'," Sharma told reporters in Srinagar.

The National Conference (NC) 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 Jammu and Kashmir's statehood.

"The Jantar Mantar protest of NC is a drama to hide the loot of 'outsourcing'. Somebody should ask Omar Ab...