Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in India’s Lok Sabha, launched a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during an election rally in Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the rally ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, Gandhi accused the BJP of snatching the identity of Jammu and Kashmir by revoking its statehood and turning it into a Union Territory.
Gandhi asserted that this move was unprecedented in the history of independent India, where a state was stripped of its autonomy and reduced to a Union Territory. He went on to argue that the BJP’s actions not only stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its statehood but also eroded the rights and resources of its people.
‘Your rights, your wealth, everything is being snatched away from you,’ Gandhi stated, emphasizing the perceived injustice. He passionately advocated for the restoration of statehood, arguing that it was essential to empower the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
‘We wanted that you should first get statehood and then elections should be held. But the BJP does not want this,’ Gandhi declared. ‘They say that first elections will be held and then the issue of statehood will be discussed. We are saying that whatever happens, we will get statehood for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Whether the BJP wants it or not, we will exert so much pressure that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will have to be given statehood,’ Gandhi asserted.
Drawing a stark comparison between the region’s past monarchical rule and its present governance, Gandhi criticized the current administration. ‘In 1947, we removed the kings, formed a democratic government and gave a Constitution to the country,’ he said. ‘But… Today, there is a ‘king’ named LG sitting in Jammu and Kashmir, who is snatching your money and giving it to outsiders.’
Gandhi further accused the BJP of spreading hatred and division. He urged the people to resist this divisive ideology. ‘This fight is between two ideologies,’ Gandhi stated. ‘On one side — hatred, violence, and fear. On the other hand — love and respect. We walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, during which we gave the slogan — ‘We have to open a shop of love in the market of hatred. BJP’s job is to spread hatred, our job is to spread love. They break, we unite.’
Gandhi also pledged to address the issue of unemployment if his party comes to power. ‘We will regularize the daily wage workers, make them permanent and we will increase their income,’ Gandhi promised, outlining his vision for economic development and social justice.
The upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to be held in three phases — September 18, September 25, and October 1. The results will be announced on October 8. The elections are likely to be fiercely contested, with the BJP and the Congress vying for the support of the electorate.
