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Informist, Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024

NEW DELHI - Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today reiterated that the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood will be the first priority of the Congress-Jammu & Kashmir National Conference alliance, if it is voted to power.

Gandhi, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, today kicked off his party's campaign for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government of snatching the rights of the people of the region by reducing the state to a Union territory.

"First time in the history of the country, a state was reduced to a Union territory. We had earlier turned a Union territory into a state and divided the state into two parts to deepen democracy and for better governance. But when we turn a state into a Union territory, we snatch the rights of people. Your rights have been snatched...," Gandhi said, adding that the Opposition parties will pressurise the Central government in Parliament to restore statehood in Jammu and Kashmir.

Assembly elections will be held in three phases from Sep 18 to Oct 1. Gandhi held two rallies today--one in Ramban and another in Anantnag. Both Ramban and Anantnag will go to polls on Sep 18 in phase 1. National Conference President Farooq Abdullah also joined Gandhi on stage at Anantnag.

Gandhi asked Congress workers to support National Conference candidates with full enthusiasm as it is a matter of Jammu-Kashmir's statehood. The votes should not be divided, Gandhi said. He also called on the Kashmiri Pandit community to support the Congress–NC alliance in the elections. He accused the BJP of taking political advantage of the adversities faced by the community.

During the rally in Ramban, Jammu, Gandhi invoked the issue of unemployment in the region. He said if the alliance forms a government in the Union territory, it will fill all the government vacancies on a priority basis. He also said that despite the electricity projects going on in Jammu-Kashmir, the people have been forced to pay higher electricity tariffs.

"...Our first work will be to fill the government vacancies. We will extend the eligibility age up to 40 years. We will regularise daily wagers and increase their income. We want that everybody should be respected," Gandhi said.

The Congress and National Conference have been contesting Assembly elections in alliance. The National Conference will contest 51 seats, while the Congress will field candidates for 32 seats. Five seats will see a friendly fight between alliance partners and one seat each left for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party.  End

Reported by Kuldeep Singh

Edited by Aditya Sakorkar

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