Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that the Congress Party is committed to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) post elections.
He said Congress wanted the statehood to be restored before the elections, but now will ensure it is restored immediately after the elections.
Addressing a rally in Poonch, J&K, and the referring to the Opposition alliance, he said, INDIA Bloc has reduced the stature of PM Modi with love, not hate.
He said, “States have been divided before; Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Punjab are examples of this. However, a state has never been reduced to a UT before.”
“This is the first time in history that a state has been reduced to UT; the rights have been snatched from the people of Jammu and Kashmir. That’s why we will work to restore the statehood; if they can't, then we will do it.”
Holding the BJP responsible for the current unemployment in the country, he alleged, “They have given great advantages of loan waivers of 16 lakh crore to businessmen like Ambani and Adani.”
The BJP is favouring these big businesses, whereas the real job providers like the MSME sector have been crippled due to their policies,” he alleged.
Also criticising the BJP for demonetisation and GST, he claimed, “These moves were not well thought out.”
Taking a jibe at the current LG administration and the ruling BJP, Gandhi said “that the decisions related to Jammu and Kashmir are being taken by outsiders, not by democratically elected representatives.”
He alleged that the sole motto of the BJP government was to “divide people on religious lines, to create tensions between the people and groups, like they are doing with Gujjar-Bakerwals and Paharis here.”
He said, “Let me tell you, they will fail in their agenda, and we will not allow such things to happen here, adding that we will give equal representation and rights to all, irrespective of their affiliations.”
He expressed gratitude to the people for hearing him out and said he would be coming to Poonch again and stay over there for two or three days if people wanted him to.
He said he was ready to help people in any matter, time, schedule, and capacity that he could.
Meanwhile, NC president and former Dr Farooq Abdullah, while sharing the dais with Gandhi, said, "We, the people of Jammu and Kashmir, will derail the hate shop and replace it with love.
He said, “There is one party in the country that spreads hate against one community by saying we Muslims are invaders and mangalsutra snatchers.” They need to end this hate for the greater good of the country.
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