New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) The Congress party has urged the Centre to introduce legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which has remained a union territory since its reorganisation in 2019.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have jointly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pressing for the passage of a bill to grant statehood to the UT.

“For the past five years, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have consistently called for the restoration of full statehood. This demand is both legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights,” the letter stated.

The Congress leaders pointed out that while union territories have been granted statehood in the past, the case of Jammu and Kashmir is unprecedented. “This is the first time in independent India that a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation,” they wrote.

Citing the Prime Minister’s public assurances, the letter reminded him of his earlier commitments to restore statehood.

“Your goodself has, on multiple occasions, personally reiterated the government’s commitment to restoring statehood. In your interview in Bhubaneswar on May 19, 2024, you stated: ‘The restoration of statehood is a solemn promise we have made and we stand by it.’ Again, while addressing a rally in Srinagar on September 19, 2024, you reaffirmed: ‘We have said in Parliament that we will restore the region’s statehood’.”

The letter also referred to the Centre’s submission before the Supreme Court during the hearings on Article 370, where it assured that statehood would be restored at the “earliest and as soon as possible”.

“In view of the foregoing and aforementioned, we urge upon the Government to bring forward legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter added.

The demand comes amid internal discord within the party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit, where senior leaders have revolted against state unit chief Tariq Hameed Karra, a former PDP leader, calling for his removal. The party has also strained relationship with the National Conference, even though they are partners in the INDIA bloc.

The Congress party has also demanded legislation to include Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

“This would be a significant step toward addressing the cultural, developmental, and political aspirations of the people of Ladakh, while safeguarding their rights, land, and identity,” the letter added.

–IANS

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