Thousands of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers took to the streets in Srinagar on Wednesday, sparking a tense confrontation with National Conference activists and prompting the police to seal off the area.

Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti seized on the opportunity, accusing the police of having "facilitated" both protests. She took aim at the BJP's call for a 'Secretariat Gherao' against the National Conference government over recruitment and power tariffs.

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"the very same police that

"The very same police that won't allow PDP to step outside its office to hold a peaceful protest on public issues have facilitated both BJP and NC to protest against each other," Mufti stated. "This blatant double standard must be explained, who authorises these selective restrictions and why the law is being applied differently to different political parties."

The National Conference had announced a counter-protest outside the BJP's offices in Jammu and Srinagar to demand "accountability for the promises made" Police cordoned off the secretariat, while NC workers were stopped from marching towards the BJP offices.

On Wednesday morning, hundreds of BJP workers, led Sharma hailed the protest as a "big show of strength" against the National Conference government's perceived failures.

"Nothing will deter us from fighting for the people of J&K," the National Conference declared on social media, calling out the BJP's police tactics. "Not the BJP's police. Nor their cowardice.

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Not their lies."

Wednesday's protests marked a rare public confrontation between the ruling National Conference and the main opposition party BJP, highlighting deep-seated divisions in Jammu and Kashmir.