Rahul Gandhi Promises Statehood for Jammu and Kashmir at Public Rally
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, addressed a public rally in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, where he promised that the INDIA bloc would restore statehood to the region. He criticized the current administration for appointing an outsider as the Lieutenant Governor, who he said cannot understand the needs of the local people.
Gandhi emphasized that the democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been taken away. He pointed out that while other states in India have been divided to form new states, Jammu and Kashmir is the first state to be downgraded to a Union Territory. He assured the crowd that if elected, he would pressure the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to restore statehood.
He also accused the BJP of working for a few billionaires and neglecting the needs of the poor, farmers, laborers, women, and students. He criticized the implementation of GST and demonetization, which he claimed led to the closure of small businesses and increased unemployment.
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said that Modi’s confidence has been shaken by the INDIA bloc and Congress. He accused Modi of spreading hatred and contrasted it with his own party’s message of love.
The Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections are being held in three phases. The first phase took place on September 18 with a voter turnout of 61.13%. The second and third phases are scheduled for September 25 and October 1, respectively, with votes to be counted on October 8.
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Rahul Gandhi -: Rahul Gandhi is a famous Indian politician and a member of the Congress party. He is the son of Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
Statehood -: Statehood means making a region a full state with its own government and more control over its affairs. Jammu and Kashmir used to be a state but is now a Union Territory.
Jammu and Kashmir -: Jammu and Kashmir is a region in northern India. It used to be a state but is now a Union Territory, which means it has less autonomy.
Lok Sabha -: Lok Sabha is the lower house of India’s Parliament. It is where elected representatives make laws and discuss important issues.
INDIA bloc -: The INDIA bloc is a group of political parties in India that have come together to contest elections against the ruling party, BJP.
Lieutenant Governor -: A Lieutenant Governor is an official appointed by the central government to oversee a Union Territory. They have significant control over the region’s administration.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the major political parties in India and is currently in power.
Prime Minister Modi -: Prime Minister Modi is Narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister of India. He is a member of the BJP.
Assembly elections -: Assembly elections are elections where people vote to choose their representatives in the state or Union Territory’s legislative assembly.