Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the Congress is committed to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) as soon as possible.
In a brief statement to the media in Srinagar, he said that restoring statehood is a priority for the Congress party and the INDIA alliance.
Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, expressed hope that statehood would be reinstated before the Assembly polls.
“The announcement of elections is a positive step forward,” he said. “J&K is the first state to be downgraded to a Union Territory since independence.”
He highlighted the party's election manifesto, which prioritises restoring the democratic rights of the people of J&K and Ladakh.
“The Congress is ready to assist them in any way possible,” he said. “As I have been saying, ‘Nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan kholna chahte hain, izzat se, bhaichare se' (We wish to open a shop of love in the market of hatred, with respect and brotherhood)."
All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief Mallikarjun Kharge also spoke on the occasion. He said that efforts are underway to form an alliance based on feedback from local leaders and added Congress aims to include the entire opposition.
He criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party for failing to ensure elections in J&K and claimed that the party only announced polls under pressure from the Supreme Court.
“The BJP can no longer suppress the voices of the people in J&K, and Congress is committed to working for their welfare,” he said. “There are high unemployment rates in J&K, and the BJP's claims of eradicating terrorism after the abrogation of Article 370 have proven false, given the increased incidents of infiltration.”
Gandhi and Kharge arrived on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to meet Congress leaders and workers.
After talking to the media, Gandhi and Kharge left to meet National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah to discuss a pre-poll alliance against the BJP.
They will be travelling to Jammu later, where they are scheduled to meet Congress leaders and workers.
The Congress wants to stitch an alliance with the regional parties to join forces against the BJP. However, the NC has refused to be part of an alliance that includes the PDP.