Jammu and Kashmir: Congress promises restoration of statehood

Ahead of the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the Congress party has vowed to restore full statehood to the region if voted into power.

The announcement was made on Thursday, 22 August, by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi during a press conference in Srinagar.

Rahul Gandhi emphasised that the restoration of statehood and the democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is not only a top priority for the Congress but also for the entire INDIA bloc.

"This is the first time in the history of independent India that a state has been downgraded to a union territory. Union territories have been upgraded to states, but never the other way around. We are committed to ensuring that the people of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh regain their democratic rights," Gandhi stated.

Gandhi added, "The Congress Party stands with the people of Jammu and Kashmir during these challenging times, and we are committed to ending violence and restoring peace."

Kharge said that the Congress is working to bring all opposition parties together in Jammu and Kashmir.

We are striving to unite the opposition to form a strong coalition, he said.

Earlier in the day, both Kharge and Gandhi addressed a meeting of party workers, rallying support for the upcoming electoral battle and reinforcing the Congress' commitment to the restoration of statehood and democratic rights to the people of the region.

Recalling Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister and the Congress leader instrumental to Kashmir's accession into India, Kharge said, "Nehru-ji used to say there are many forms and images of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. There are many languages, many lifestyles — all these together form India. The feeling of nationalism is the call of history, this will give us the strongest strength [he said]. But today Narendra Modi creates divisions among people and parties. This never happened during the Congress regime and we will not let it happen either."

As per sources, a key focus of the Rahul–Kharge visit is to explore the possibility of forming a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference (NC).

While there has been no official announcement regarding formal meetings between the Congress and NC leaders, but there are strong indications that discussions about a potential alliance are underway.

The duo were seen visiting Farooq and Omar Abdullah of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference today as well.

Notably, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which earlier formed the government with the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, has also signalled its openness to coalition talks with the Congress.

PDP leader Naeem Akhtar praised Rahul Gandhi as a powerful and influential figure who could effectively advocate for the issues facing Kashmir.

"Rahul Gandhi has emerged as an impactful voice, creating a new atmosphere in the country. If he can connect with local voices in Jammu and Kashmir and offer the role of handholding, the PDP is open to the idea of a coalition," Akhtar said in an interview with the Hindu.

Arriving in Srinagar yesterday evening (21 August), Gandhi and Kharge surprised the citizens in the Lal Chowk commercial hub when Rahul decided to get an ice cream after a wazwan dinner with local party members. Videos and photos of the candid chats and photo ops have been doing the rounds.

Many in Srinagar will remember the way Gandhi's first Bharat Jodo Yatra began from here. This time, the stakes for him include not just connecting with people on the ground but also the political leadership.

The first Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in a decade, and the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, will take place in three phases on 18 and 25 September and 1 October, per the Election Commission of India's announcement on 16 August 2024.