J-K statehood priority: Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul in Srinagar

Srinagar: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that Congress and the INDIA block are committed to ensuring the restoration of statehood in J&K as soon as possible.

Talking to the media in Srinagar on Thursday, August 22, Rahul said that it is our priority in the Congress party and also in the INDIA block, to restore statehood in J&K as soon as possible.

“We were expecting the restoration of statehood before Assembly elections but polls were announced which is a step forward and we hope to see democracy restored,” he said, adding that he has seen or heard it for the first time since independence that a state was reduced to a UT.

“We have made it clear in our election manifesto that it was our priority to restore the democratic rights of the people of J&K and Ladakh. My message to the people of J&K is in whatever manner we can help them, we are ready,” asserted Rahul.

Speaking in a short presence to the media in Srinagar Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that efforts are on to create an alliance based on feedback from local leaders. “We want to keep the entire Opposition along,” he said.

“The party announced polls under pressure in the wake of the Supreme Court deadline. I want to put it on record that BJP can’t suppress the peoples’ voices anymore in J&K. Congress is committed to work for the welfare of the people of J&K,” said Kharge.

Kharge further said that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed unprecedented unemployment despite the tall claims of the BJP that post abrogation of Article 370, terrorism has been wiped out in J&K, which has now fallen flat. “Infiltration has gone up and terrorism incidents have also witnessed a spike,” he said.

Kharge and Rahul, who arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday late afternoon, left for Jammu where they will meet the party leaders and workers.