Rahul reads history in J&K; ‘we’ve a blood relation’

Spread the love

Rahul Gandhi in Jammu and Kashmir raises statehood issue

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, September 4: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi rued that the statehood was yet to be restored for J&K. He also claimed that a “king is installed in Srinagar”.

The Congress leader addressed two rallies in J&K. To balance regional fault lines, Gandhi addressed one public meeting each in Jammu as well as Kashmir valley.

Gandhi sought to strike an emotional chord in the Kashmir valley. He leaned on history to bond with the people in his Anantnag rally.

Also Read: US recession fear sinks stock markets while defensives gain

“You know that we have a blood relation. This is not a political relation. This is an old relation… a blood relation… whether it is Rajiv ji, Indira ji, Jawaharlal Nehru ji, this is a very old relation and whatever you want from me, my doors are open for you,” said Gandhi.

The Congress leader addressed the public meeting in Anantnag in the company of the National Conference Farooq Abdullah. Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah were known to have cordial relations.

“I want to serve you in Parliament. I want to share your pain, and sorrow, I want to raise all that for you, in Parliament,” said Gandhi.

Also Read: Modi in Brunei calls for ‘code of conduct’ in Indo Pacific

The Congress leader raised the issue of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. “For the first time in the history of India, rights were snatched from a state and that state was made a Union Territory,” said Gandhi.

The Congress leader said that “we wanted that you should get statehood before the elections and elections should have been held afterwards”. “The BJP does not want this and they have said that first there will be elections and then we will talk about other things. And we are saying that whatever happens, we will get the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, whether BJP wants it or not,” added Gandhi.

Also Read: Judicial lamp post shines brightly

The Congress leader also claimed that the lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir is operating as a “king”. “In 1947, we removed the kings and formed a democratic government. We gave the country the Constitution. Today, there is a king in Jammu and Kashmir. His name is LG but he is the king and your wealth is being snatched from you and given to outsiders, whether it is your contracts,” alleged Gandhi.

The Congress leader claimed that “all the benefits are being availed by outsiders. And it is being snatched from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, so our first step will be to give back statehood to Jammu and Kashmir”.

Gandhi said that earlier, the Union Territory was made a State. “By dividing the state, two states were created, Telangana was created, Chhattisgarh was created, Uttarakhand was created, Arunachal was made a state, but for the first time, a state of India was cancelled and the rights of the people were snatched away,” added Gandhi.

Join WhatsApp channel of The Raisina Hills