J&K Statehood To Be Key Issue In Monsoon Session: Congress' Tariq Hameed Karra To NDTV

Congress will make the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir a major issue in the upcoming Parliament session, senior party leader Tariq Hameed Karra told NDTV today.

Mr Karra, who heads the party's Jammu and Kashmir unit, said that Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi held a meeting and asked all party MPs to raise the issue in the Monsoon session, which is set to begin on Monday.

"Sonia Gandhi has asked all parliament members of the party to vociferously raise the issue of the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir in the upcoming Parliament session. It was after the meeting chaired by Sonia Gandhi, and after Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) on the restoration of statehood," he said.

His remarks came shortly after Congress workers were stopped by police from taking out a protest march in Srinagar, seeking the restoration of statehood. They wanted to submit a memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, but police barricaded the Congress office in Srinagar and didn't allow the march.

Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its statehood and special status on August 5, 2019. Since then, the Centre and the Prime Minister have reiterated the government's commitment to restore it at an appropriate time.

As part of its campaign, Congress has also announced the 'Delhi Chalo' program on July 22, where the party is planning to "symbolically gherao" Parliament over the issue.

Mr Karra said the entire INDIA bloc is behind the party on the issue.

"The letter written by Kharge Ji and Rahul Gandhi is the voice of the entire INDIA bloc. The letter has the backing of all 233 parliament members of the INDIA bloc," Mr Karra said.

On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge jointly wrote to Prime Minister Modi urging him to bring legislation in the upcoming session for the restoration of statehood.

In the letter, the Congress leaders said that downgrading a state into a union territory is without precedent in independent India.

The joint letter by the Leaders of the Opposition in both houses of the Parliament reminded the Prime Minister of his promises on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood.

It also referred to the Central government's assurance to the Supreme Court that restoration of statehood will be done at the earliest and as soon as possible.

"Your good self has, on multiple occasions, personally reiterated the government's commitment to restoring statehood. In your interview in Bhubaneswar on 19 May 2024, you stated: 'The restoration of statehood is a solemn promise we have made and we stand by it.' Again, while addressing a rally in Srinagar on 19 September 2024, you reaffirmed: 'We have said in Parliament that we will restore the region's statehood'," the letter read.

In the letter, they said that for the past five years, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have consistently called for the restoration of full statehood. They say the demand is both legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights.

"It is important to recognise that while there have been instances of Union Territories being granted statehood in the past, the case of Jammu and Kashmir is without precedent in independent India. This is the first time a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation."

Citing the Union Government's assurance to the Supreme Court, it said, "The Union Government has made similar assurances before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the In Re: Article 370 matter, submitting that statehood would be restored "at the earliest and as soon as possible."

"We urge upon the Government to bring forward legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir," the letter stated.