Stepping up his attack on the BJP-led central government, Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that they snatched statehood of Jammu and Kashmir so that it can be governed by outsiders.
Rahul Gandhi said that for the first time in history, a state was downgraded into a ‘union territory’ and injustice was served to the people of the territory.
“In the history of India, after 1947 several union territories were turned into states. States were divided – Telangana was formed out of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand was formed out of Bihar, Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh. But for the first time after independence, a state was turned into a union territory. This was done to Jammu & Kashmir. This is an injustice to you. Your democratic rights have been snatched away from you. Today Jammu and Kashmir, is not run by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, it is run by the people of other states,” said Rahul Gandhi while addressing a public rally in Jammu.
Hitting out at the BJP and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Gandhi said that as long as LG is here, the outsiders will get benefits and the people of the Jammu and Kashmir will be side-lined
“Jammu is hub for Kashmir’s businesses, production and it connects Kashmir with the nation. BJP government and LG have tarnished this role. They have tarnished the backbones (small businesses) of Jammu, which results in unemployment. As long as small and medium businesses of Jammu will not stand on their own capacity, the unemployment rate will stand still. As long as LG is here, the outsiders will get benefits and the people of the Jammu and Kashmir will be side-lined and one of the reasons to snatch your statehood. They want to outsiders to run J-K and not people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Rahul Gandhi assured that INDIA alliance will use all its strength if the BJP didn’t agree to return statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
He stated, “We had thought that you would get back the statehood before elections. That would have been the correct way. But it is fine that they are conducting elections first. But we want your democratic rights, the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir is given back to you. This was done for the first time in history of India and it should never be done with any other state. I assure you if BJP didn’t return your statehood, we, the leaders of INDIA alliance will use our all strength to get back the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Gandhi further expressed confidence in the formation of the INDIA alliance government after elections and assured that the alliance government will restore the statehood of the territory.
“We will use parliament, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and protest but we will get back the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. If BJP didn’t accept, the first thing INDIA alliance government, which is going to be formed, is to restore the statehood of the territory, because this is your right, your future, without statehood, you can’t dream about Jammu and Kashmir,” said Rahul Gandhi.
