Our priority is to restore statehood: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge
Questioning the BJP over delaying the restoration of statehood, despite having the power to do so, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said the Congress’ priority is to restore statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. He said J&K deserve better governance and the BJP has failed to deliver it.
Kharge, who reached Jammu to campaign for Congress candidates in the assembly elections, accused the BJP of diverting attention from their failure to address the real issues plaguing J&K and cautioned the people against the “deceitful’ tactics of the saffron party. The Congress president also criticised the BJP for exploiting distractions, especially citing Pakistan’s defence minister’s comments on Article 370 as a smokescreen to conceal their ineffectiveness in governance.
Addressing a press conference, he said, “Except for promises, the BJP has done nothing for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in 10 years. Now during elections, the party is shamelessly trying to rake up irrelevant issues to hide its failures.”
“Instead of focusing on the problems faced by the people, such as unemployment, lack of development, and the delay in restoring statehood, the BJP is trying to mislead the public with irrelevant issues,” he added.
‘Coalition with NC was a necessity’
Defending his party’s decision to form a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference (NC), he emphasised that the coalition formed to oppose the BJP was a necessity, not out of compulsion or surrender.
“This alliance was vital to defeat the BJP and protect the country’s integrity from their misdeeds, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
Kharge said, “Our priority is to defeat the BJP and save the country from their anti-poor policies. The BJP has been in power for over a decade in Jammu and Kashmir, yet they have failed to deliver on their promises. We are jointly fighting elections against the BJP.”
He said, “The BJP’s promises, like providing five lakh jobs, were mere ‘jumlas’ (empty slogans).” Kharge pointed out that the ruling party has allowed outsiders to dominate key sectors like mining and liquor contracts.
Kharge declares 7 guarantees for people
Elaborating on Congress’ plans, Kharge declared the party’s “seven guarantees” to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “The first and most important promise is the restoration of statehood. Congress will leave no stone unturned in ensuring it and second is the right to health for every family, with ₹25 lakh health insurance, affordable healthcare, mobile clinics at the tehsil level and super-specialty hospitals in every district,” he said.
Empowering women is also a priority, with Kharge promising ₹3,000 for every woman head of the family. He also assured the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, constitutional rights for OBCs, a caste-based census, and safeguarding of land and job rights for the people of J&K.
