Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi emphasized his partys commitment to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on Wednesday. Speaking at a rally in Jammu, he declared that the Congress would fight for this cause both in Parliament and on the streets, asserting that statehood was unjustly revoked by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP aims to govern J&K through the lieutenant governor (LG) and outsiders, jeopardizing the prosperity of its people, he stated.Context of statehood revocationGandhis remarks came as J&K prepared for the second phase of its first assembly elections since 2014. The region was restructured into two Union Territories in August 2019 when its semi-autonomous status was revoked under Article 370 of the Constitution. During his speech, he highlighted that the elections should center on the rights of the people, promising that once statehood is restored, the government will work to protect local industries and improve access to banking for common citizens.Watch the video here:#WATCH | J&K elections | In Jammu, Congress MP & Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, In the history of India, after 1947 several UTs were turned into states. States were divided - Telangana was formed out of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand was formed out of Bihar, Chhattisgarh was carved… pic.twitter.com/EXOesUOuFJ— ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2024Call for justice and rightsGandhi pointed out historical precedents where Union Territories were elevated to statehood but noted that never before had a state been demoted to a Union Territory. This represents a grave injustice to the people of J&K, he said. He further criticized the BJPs timing regarding elections, expressing disappointment that the restoration of statehood had not occurred before the polls.He vowed that the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), comprising various opposition parties, would leverage its influence to ensure that statehood is returned to J&K. If the BJP fails to restore statehood, the first order of business under an INDIA government will be to grant it, as it is your right, he stated emphatically.Critique of BJP economic policiesGandhi also accused the BJP government of favoring wealthy business tycoons at the expense of the average citizen. He claimed that the government had facilitated the interests of billionaires like Ambani and Adani while enacting policies such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetization that adversely affected Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). “These wrong decisions have decimated the MSME sector that once provided jobs to many, leaving our youth without employment,” he lamented.Jammus economic landscapeHe described Jammu as a critical business hub and a vital connection between Kashmir and the rest of India. “I just met professionals and entrepreneurs who expressed their concerns about how the backbone of the MSME sector has been shattered here,” he remarked. Gandhi underscored that without a strong foundation for small and medium businesses, job opportunities for the youth would remain scarce.
