Srinagar: In a recent statement, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has openly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) management of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Article 370, challenging the party’s claims of enhanced peace and prosperity in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, during a press conference in Srinagar, Kharge expressed dissatisfaction with the outcomes since the abrogation, questioning the BJP’s promises of reduced violence and increased prosperity. He highlighted ongoing issues such as rising unemployment, increasing prices, and continued violence as indicators of the BJP’s unfulfilled promises.
Kharge used the term “jumla” to describe the BJP’s pre-election promises, indicating that they were nothing more than empty rhetoric. He criticized the reduction of Jammu and Kashmir’s status to a Union Territory, emphasizing the diminished democratic representation and the stripping of rights from the local population. He also noted the absence of a Legislative Council, Panchayats, and Municipalities as evidence of these claims.
Furthermore, Kharge addressed the upcoming Assembly elections in the region, mandated by a Supreme Court directive to be held by September 30, affirming the Congress party’s commitment to restoring peace and addressing local grievances alongside other secular forces.