Will pressure Centre for restoring J-K statehood; want locals to run govt: Rahul

PTI Surankote (J-K): Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Congress wants Jammu and Kashmir to be run by locals rather than from Delhi, and promised the party would put pressure on the Centre to restore J-K's statehood after the ongoing assembly polls. Addressing a rally in the Surankote assembly segment of Poonch district, Gandhi also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming the INDIA bloc "broke his psychology" after the Lok Sabha elections. "He used to boast about a 56-inch chest but he is not the same person anymore". The Lok Sabha MP accused the BJP and RSS of spreading "hatred and violence" in the country and dividing people on the lines of caste, creed, religion, region and language. He said there are numerous examples of union territories being upgraded to states but never ever in the history of India a state was downgraded to a union territory.

"For the first time, a fullfledged state (J&K) was turned into a UT and your democratic rights were snatched," he told the rally, also attended by Congress ally and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah. "We will put pressure on them (government) and we will ensure that it (restoration of statehood) is done. If they don't do it we will," Gandhi said. Seeking support for Congress- National Conference alliance candidates, he said his party wanted the restoration of statehood before the ongoing polls. "We were of the view that statehood should be restored first followed by elections but they did not do it. We will put pressure on them and you will get back your statehood after elections," the former Congress president said. Lashing out at the BJPled government for "taking away" the rights of the people, he said earlier governments in J-K were run by locals and their decisions were meant for "your better future and in your interest". "Today, outsiders are making decisions for you and your voice is not there in your government. Your government is run from Delhi, orders are coming from Delhi. We want your government to be run from J&K," he told the gathering. He asked people to feel free to reach out to him to raise any issue in Parliament. "I am always available for you, just give me an order and I am there to help you."

The rally was held on the last day of campaigning for the second phase of elections on September 25 when 26 assembly constituencies spread across six districts will go to poll. "Farooq sahib talked about hatred in the country. The BJP and RSS are spreading hatred in J-K and other states 24-hours a day. Wherever they go, they pit one brother against another.