Rahul Gandhi Rallies for J&K Statehood Restoration

Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, vowed that the INDIA bloc will use all means necessary, including street protests, to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He criticized the 2019 bifurcation of the state and accused the BJP-led government of favoring outsiders at the expense of locals.

Rahul Gandhi, the Opposition leader in Lok Sabha, declared on Wednesday that the INDIA bloc would employ its full strength both within Parliament and in public protests to ensure the BJP-led government reinstates statehood to Jammu and Kashmir following the ongoing assembly elections.

During a public rally, the former Congress president criticized the 2019 division of the erstwhile state into two union territories, calling it a grave injustice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi's statements came during his third visit to the region in the last three weeks.

Emphasizing the need for statehood restoration, Gandhi said, "This has never happened in India's history. Taking away statehood was wrong, and we will fight for its return." He accused the government of benefiting outsiders over locals by installing a Lieutenant Governor, and claimed that Jammu's economic backbone was weakened by policies favoring major business conglomerates.

(With inputs from agencies.)