Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said restoration of statehood was the right of people of Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the INDIA bloc will hit the road and use “full force” in Parliament and outside if the Centre fails to restore it after Assembly polls.
In an election rally in Jammu and Sopore in north Kashmir, Rahul said the August 5, 2019 decision to bifurcate the erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories (UTs) was “a grave injustice” to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“This has never happened in the history of India that we have taken away statehood and transformed a state into a Union Territory,” he said.
“It should have never happened, and I guarantee you that if the BJP does not restore statehood after the elections, we — the INDIA alliance — will use our full force in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and even take to the streets for the restoration of statehood to J&K,” he asserted.
This rally marked Gandhi’s third visit to the region in nearly three weeks, following prior stops in Banihal and Dooru on September 4 and in Surankote and Central-Shalteng on September 23.
His visit comes ahead of the crucial third phase of the assembly elections, with the first round having taken place on September 18 and the second on September 25.
Gandhi criticised the current administration for allegedly prioritising “outsiders” over local residents, claiming that the presence of the Lieutenant Governor has marginalised local interests.
“As long as the Lt Governor is there, outsiders will benefit and locals will be sidelined,” he said, arguing that the statehood was revoked to facilitate governance by non-residents.
He told the youths that the restoration of statehood is “your right and your future” and J&K cannot move forward without it.
In addition to his focus on statehood, Gandhi criticised the central government’s economic policies, alleging that they favour a select few business magnates.
“This government runs for Ambani and Adani,” he claimed, denouncing the GST and demonetisation as tools designed to benefit these conglomerates.
Referring to migrant Kashmiri Pandits and refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, he said all the promises made to them by the Manmohan Singh government will be fulfilled after the formation of the National Conference-Congress government in J&K.
He also said the smart electricity meters will be removed and Punjabi will be granted official language status.
The former Congress president concluded his address by accusing the BJP government and the Lt Governor of undermining Jammu’s economic strength, which he described as the central hub of J&K essential for facilitating the production chain from the valley to the rest of the country.
As the assembly elections unfold, the call for the restoration of statehood remains a pivotal issue in the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.