Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Prioritizes Restoration of Jammu and Kashmir Statehood

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, emphasized that the Congress party and the INDIA Bloc prioritize restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He expressed the importance of returning democratic rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, despite the region being downgraded to a Union Territory. Assembly polls are scheduled for September.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, asserted on Thursday that restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is a top priority for the Congress party and the INDIA Bloc. He expressed the party's aim to return democratic rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Gandhi emphasized the historical uniqueness of the situation, noting that it was the first time since Independence that a state was downgraded to a Union Territory. He confirmed that the Congress party's national manifesto clearly prioritizes the restoration of democratic rights in the region.

The announcement came during a press conference following an interaction with Congress workers. Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge gathered feedback on grassroots-level preparations for the upcoming assembly polls, set to take place in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1, with vote counting on October 4.

(With inputs from agencies.)