Srinagar: During a visit to the Islamabad district, Kanhaiya Kumar, a Congress politician and former student union leader, emphasized the need for true peace in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), distinguishing it from the prevailing silence which he described as superficial.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Kumar articulated the deep-seated discontent among the IIOJK populace regarding the BJP’s policies over the past decade, which he described as oppressive. He framed the upcoming IIOJK Assembly elections as a pivotal clash of ideologies—between love and hate, justice and injustice. Kumar stressed that the elections should be a referendum against oppression, unemployment, and injustice, and a movement towards restoring statehood and rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The IIOJK Assembly elections are scheduled to occur in three phases, with the results to be counted on October 8.