Srinagar, July 13, 2026 : The Congress on Monday extended its support to the National Conference’s proposed July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, reaffirming that the restoration of full Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is a democratic right of its people and must be implemented without further delay.
Speaking to reporters in Bandipora, All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba said the Congress welcomed every democratic initiative aimed at pressing the Centre to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s Statehood, adding that the National Conference was now carrying forward the campaign initiated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
“If the National Conference is now taking forward Rahul Gandhi’s voice on the restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, we welcome it. Full Statehood must be restored,” Lamba said.
She recalled that the Congress had organised a protest at Jantar Mantar last year demanding the restoration of Statehood and asserted that all democratic forces should unite on the issue.
Describing Statehood as a constitutional and democratic right, Lamba said the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserved the restoration of their full political status and democratic institutions.
Launching a sharp attack on the BJP-led Central Government, Lamba accused it of weakening democratic institutions and targeting opposition parties across the country.
Alleging that democratic values were under threat, she claimed the BJP had resorted to “backdoor politics” by manipulating electoral processes, misusing investigative agencies, and attempting to weaken opposition parties.
“The BJP is murdering democracy. It comes through the backdoor, commits vote theft through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), then indulges in seat theft, and now attacks political parties using money, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),” she alleged.
Lamba further claimed that similar political strategies had earlier been used against parties such as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena, Trinamool Congress (TMC), and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and alleged that the National Conference was now facing similar political pressure.
She accused the BJP of repeatedly toppling elected governments since coming to power at the Centre and asserted that the Congress would continue resisting such attempts both politically and democratically.
Describing Rahul Gandhi’s campaign as a broader movement to safeguard democratic institutions, Lamba said the ongoing political struggle was not a personal contest but a fight to protect India’s Constitution.
“This is not a personal fight between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. It is a fight to protect the Constitution,” she said.
Highlighting women’s issues, Lamba announced that the Congress would mobilise women from Jammu and Kashmir as well as across the country to participate in the party’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ programme in New Delhi on July 21, demanding the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act.
Questioning the delay in enforcing the law despite its passage by Parliament, she accused the BJP Government of failing to ensure 33 percent reservation for women in legislatures.
She also raised concerns over the alleged NEET examination paper leak, claiming Rahul Gandhi had consistently demanded accountability from the Centre over examination irregularities affecting lakhs of students.
Lamba questioned why Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had not resigned over the issue and criticised the government’s handling of the controversy.
She also targeted Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, alleging that he had misled the nation regarding casualties during Operation Sindoor, and demanded that he apologise.
Concluding her address, Lamba said the Congress would continue raising public issues both inside and outside Parliament, with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi taking up matters in the Lok Sabha, while Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge would lead the party’s voice in the Rajya Sabha.
“The Congress will not make any sort of compromise with the BJP Government and will continue its democratic struggle on issues concerning the people,” she asserted.
