NEW DELHI: With assembly polls in J&K around the corner, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accompanied by Congress chief Kharge embarked on a two day visit to the Union territory to drum up support for the party and explore possible alliances.
Addressing the party workers in Srinagar, the Congress MP vowed to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest. He also said it was in his party’s interest to ensure that the people of Jammu and Kashmir get their democratic rights back through statehood.
“We had expected that this would be done before the elections but elections have been declared. It is a step forward and we are hoping that statehood will be restored as soon as possible and the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, democratic rights will be restored to them. This is the first time since independence that a state has become a union territory. This has never happened before. Union territories have become states but it is the first time that a State has become Union Territory. So, we are very clear in our national manifesto as well that it is a priority for us that the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh get their democratic rights back,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition also claimed that the resurgent opposition has put the Modi govt on the back foot. Rahul Gandhi then further went on to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the Congress and the INDIA bloc have “psychologically” dented Modi’s confidence.
“One thing has changed after the Lok Sabha polls and you must have seen it on TV. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s confidence has been shaken by Congress and the INDIA bloc. We have broken his self-confidence and his psychology,” he said.
He said that PM Modi was defeated by the Congress ideology and the INDIA alliance’s focus on love, unity, and respect. “We did not resort to any violence and did not use bad words. We told Narendra Modi clearly that what you think you are, you are not that,” he added.
“I want to tell J&K people, especially youth, that we have to open a shop of love in the market of hatred. Hate cannot be defeated by hate but by love and affection. And we have to unitedly defeat the hate through love,” Gandhi said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who also addressed the gathering called PM Modi as a “master of lies” and urged the people not to trust him. “If you trust in him, you will end. If any party can save the country, it is only the Congress party,” Kharge claimed.
“I want to put it on record that BJP can’t suppress the people’s voices anymore in J&K. Congress is also committed to ensure the return of statehood for J&K. Congress is committed to work for the welfare of the people of J&K,” said the Congress President while addressing workers in Srinagar.
Kharge also spoke of the security situation in J&K under Modi’s rule, saying that there have been 2,350 terror incidents and 377 civilian deaths in the region. He underscored the importance of the upcoming J&K Assembly elections, expressing hope that the Congress would win 40-45 seats. “Congress would work to protect J&K’s land, forests, etc.,” the Congress chief said.
The Congress party is currently reviewing its preparations for the Assembly polls and is expected to finalize a seat-sharing arrangement with the National Conference for the 90-seat J&K Assembly. Rahul Gandhi and Kharge earlier in the day met with NC’s Farooq Abdullah.
After meeting Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Srinagar, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said the pre-poll alliance for Jammu and Kashmir assembly election between the two parties is “on track”. “The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere. The alliance is on track and it will work well in future with God’s grace …It is final, it will be approved by this evening,” Abdullah told reporters. On seat-sharing agreement, the NC chief said, “This (alliance) has been done on all 90 seats.”
However the finalization of the alliance is expected to come in the evening.
