New Delhi, Jul 16: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, have jointly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pressing for immediate legislative action to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
According to a letter a copy of which lies with Kashmir News Service (KNS), dated July 16, underscores the consistent demands of the people of Jammu and Kashmir over the past five years and frames the issue as a matter of constitutional and democratic rights. “This is the first time in independent India that a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory,” the letter notes, calling the situation without precedent.
Citing previous assurances from the Prime Minister, including public statements in Bhubaneswar (May 19, 2024) and Srinagar (September 19, 2024), the opposition leaders reminded the government of its “solemn promise” to restore statehood. “We have said in Parliament that we will restore the region’s statehood,” PM Modi had affirmed last year.
The letter also referenced submissions made by the Union Government before the Supreme Court in the Article 370 hearings, where it had committed to restoring statehood “at the earliest.”
In addition to their demand regarding Jammu and Kashmir, Kharge and Gandhi also called upon the government to introduce legislation to bring Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. This, they argued, would address the region’s cultural, developmental, and political aspirations and safeguard the land and identity of its people. (KNS)
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