New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has reiterated his party’s dedication to restoring full statehood to Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), following the recent oath-taking ceremony of Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister in Srinagar.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Gandhi took to the social media platform X, expressing his views on the matter. “Congratulations to CM Omar Abdullah and the people of Jammu and Kashmir. However, government formation without statehood feels incomplete today,” Gandhi stated.

Gandhi, who serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Indian Parliament, emphasized that “democracy was taken away from the people of Jammu and Kashmir” and reaffirmed his party’s commitment to continue the fight until statehood is fully restored.

In a related development, Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to heed the people’s mandate and expedite the process of restoring statehood. “The people have made their wishes clear; restoring statehood was our primary agenda. We urge PM to act swiftly in accordance with the people’s mandate. We are ready to lead the cabinet once statehood is restored,” Mir stated.