Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated his commitment to restoring statehood to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) on Wednesday, stating he would champion the cause both in Parliament and on the streets. He asserted that statehood was revoked because the Indian government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), aimed to control the region through the Lieutenant Governor (LG) and outsiders to diminish the prosperity of the local population. Addressing a rally in Jammu, he said, 'As long as the LG is here, benefits will continue to be reaped by outsiders at the expense of Jammu & Kashmir's people.'
After the special status under Article 370 of the Constitution was revoked in August 2019, Jammu & Kashmir was reorganized into two Union Territories. Rahul Gandhi emphasized that elections in J&K are fundamentally about restoring the rights of the people. 'We will ensure statehood and thereafter the government will protect local industries. Banks will open their doors wide for the common folk.'
He mentioned that India has numerous historical precedents, since 1947, where Union Territories were granted statehood and states were bifurcated, but never before had a state been transformed into a Union Territory. 'This is a grave injustice to the people,' he remarked.
Gandhi stressed that the democratic rights of J&K residents were snatched away. 'We believed that statehood would be reinstated before elections, and that was the right course of action, but they held elections first,' he said. He pledged that if the BJP does not restore statehood, the INDIA alliance will exert its full strength to achieve it.
'Who is Deciding Government Policy?'
Rahul Gandhi also addressed issues related to farmers. He tweeted, 'Who is setting the government's policy? A BJP MP or Prime Minister Modi? Despite the sacrifice of over 700 farmers, including those from Haryana and Punjab, the BJP was not satisfied. The INDIA alliance will not allow any conspiracy against our farmers by the BJP to succeed. If any steps are taken to harm farmers, Modi Ji will again have to apologize.'
The opposition leader interacted with professionals in Jammu and openly discussed the challenges they face in Jammu & Kashmir.
