Jammu: During a political rally in Jammu’s Bishnah, Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary, voiced strong objections to the central government’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting they are designed to benefit non-residents at the expense of local citizens.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Gandhi lambasted Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks about restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. She accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of initially revoking the region’s statehood only to later seek public support for its restoration. “It is the BJP that snatched the statehood of J and K and now it is seeking people’s support to restore it again,” she declared.

Gandhi pledged that the Congress party is dedicated to reinstating full statehood and maintaining the traditional Darbar Move—a biannual shift of the secretariat and all governmental offices between two Jammu and Kashmir cities. Moreover, she committed to defending local land rights and employment opportunities against external pressures. “The people hailing from J and K are being pushed to the wall while constructing their houses as the resources available in J and K are being provided to the outsiders,” she explained, emphasizing the hardships faced by the locals under current policies.

The Congress leader’s statements highlighted a deep-seated concern among residents about losing local privileges and resources to outsiders, a sentiment that has fueled ongoing debates over the region’s autonomy and rights.