Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has reaffirmed his commitment to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which was bifurcated into two union territories in August 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370 by the central government. Speaking at a party event in Srinagar on Thursday, Gandhi emphasized that both he and his party consider this a top priority.
“I love the people of J&K… I have a very old relationship, a blood relationship with them,” Gandhi declared, underscoring his deep ties with the region. “And it is our priority, and of the INDIA bloc, to restore statehood as soon as possible. We expected this would be done prior to the election, but it is okay… elections have been declared and we hope statehood will also be restored, and the democratic rights of J&K people will also be restored.”
Gandhi’s remarks came just weeks before Jammu and Kashmir’s first Assembly elections since 2014, which are set to be held in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4.
Taking a swipe at the Modi government, Rahul Gandhi commented on the timing of the elections, saying, “We expected this (restoration of statehood, a demand of many opposition parties and activists) to be done prior to the election… but it is okay. Elections have been declared… it is a step forward.”
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Rahul Gandhi also invoked his “nafrat ke bazaar mein, mohabbat ki dukaan khol” (open shops of love in the market of hatred) slogan from the Bharat Jodo Yatra, urging the people of J&K to embrace unity and love in the face of divisiveness.
This is not the first time Gandhi has claimed a “blood relationship” with Jammu and Kashmir. In October 2012, during a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for a road tunnel connecting Kargil to the Kashmir Valley, he famously stated, “I am a Kashmiri. I want to have a lifelong relationship with the people of J&K.”
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who was also present at the event, echoed Gandhi’s sentiments, appealing to the voters of J&K. “As Rahul Gandhi said, his relationship with J&K is not limited to likes or dislikes. He is related to J&K by blood… and we hope J&K will stand by us in this coming election,” Kharge said. He further urged the people to vote for Congress to “save the country… to save your culture and rights.”
The upcoming Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir is seen as a crucial test for the Congress and the INDIA alliance in the region, as they seek to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other local parties.
