New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, declared in a public address in Jammu today that the INDIA bloc is prepared to launch protests if the BJP-led central government does not restore statehood to the region of Jammu and Kashmir following the current assembly elections. Gandhi criticized the central government’s management of the region, which lost its statehood and was reorganized into two union territories in 2019.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Gandhi spoke passionately at a rally, outlining the suffering of the people in Jammu and Kashmir due to the loss of their statehood. He expressed the INDIA alliance’s determination to escalate their efforts from parliamentary debates to active street protests to ensure the region’s return to full statehood.

Gandhi criticized the existing Lt. Governor system, which he claimed disproportionately benefits non-local interests over the indigenous population. He argued that restoring statehood is essential for the area’s development and for protecting the rights of its residents.

Further in his speech, Gandhi also took the opportunity to attack the government’s economic strategies, claiming they are skewed in favor of major corporations, specifically naming Ambani and Adani. He blamed the current administration and the Lt. Governor for undermining the economy of Jammu, which was previously a pivotal part of Jammu and Kashmir’s production and economic framework.