Rahul, Kharge write to PM for J&K statehood

Press for a legislation in Parliament's upcoming monsoon session to grant full statehood to J&K

- Snehashish Roy

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press for a legislation in Parliament’s upcoming Monsoon session to grant full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, and extend the Sixth Schedule protection to Ladakh.

In a joint letter, the leaders of opposition in the two houses of Parliament, said, “For five years, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have consistently demanded restoration of full statehood. This demand is legitimate and rooted in their constitutional and democratic rights.”

They also cited past examples of Union territories being upgraded to states, adding that Jammu and Kashmir's case is “without precedent” ~ the first time a state has been downgraded to a Union territory post-bifurcation.

Kharge and Gandhi reminded PM Modi of his public commitments to restore statehood. “In your Bhubaneswar interview on May 19, 2024, you said, ‘Restoring statehood is a solemn promise we have made.’ Again, in Srinagar on September 19, 2024, you said, ‘We have said in Parliament that we will restore the region's statehood,” they wrote.