Jammu, Sep 23 (UNI) Asserting that first time in the Indian history, a state was downgraded to Union Territory, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the Congress party will pressurise the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government in the Centre to return statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“First time in the history of India a state was downgraded to the Union Territory by snatching the statehood,” Congress star campaigner Rahul Gandhi said addressing a public rally in Surankote Constituency of Poonch district in support of Congress candidate Shahnawaz Choudhary for Phase-2 Assembly Elections scheduled to be held on September 25.
“We have seen that the state being divided and new states being made but not that any state has been downgraded to UT and in J&K it has happened for the first time,” said Gandhi.
“We will mount pressure on the Centre to restore statehood status to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and if they fail to do it, we will get it done,” he said.
Rahul said that the Congress party wanted that the statehood be returned to Jammu and Kashmir before Assembly elections but this couldn’t happen, adding, “after elections we will force the Modi government to restore your right of statehood.”
The Congress leader also targeted the BJP-RSS stating that they only believe in spreading hatred and this is what they have in the country and Jammu and Kashmir.
“BJP is spreading hatred everywhere. It is a fight of ideologies. We are opening “Mohabbat Ki Dukaan” all over the country against BJP’s “Nafrat Ka Bazar” from Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” he said and added that he travelled from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and from Manipur to Maharashtra and have only spread a message that not hate but only love helps.
“They (BJP-RSS) are playing the ‘politics of divide’ wherever they go, similarly, they divided Gujjars and Paharis in Rajouri-Poonch belts, but we will not allow them to succeed in their agenda and take everyone along on board,” he said.
Gandhi however, concluded saying that whatever the people of Jammu and Kashmir want him to do, he will become their voice in the Parliament and he is always there for them.
“Vote for NC, Congress candidates and make us victorious in this Assembly Polls and we will never let you down,” he said.
