Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Tariq Hameed Karra on Tuesday described Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the ‘only ray of hope’ for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, asserting that the party will ‘vociferously’ take up the issue in Parliament.
After the party’s ‘Delhi Chalo programme,’ Karra said Rahul Gandhi had shown ‘commitment beyond rhetoric’ by assuring people during his election campaign that he would stand by them if no one else did.
“When I say Rahul Gandhi is the only hope, it is because of his commitment. He promised the people during his visit to J&K that if no one helps you, I will be there. He also wrote a detailed letter to the Prime Minister, reminding him of hollow promises on statehood and quoting specific dates when BJP leaders made those claims,” Karra said.
He added that since Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ‘people’s mood has changed’ and confidence has grown that ‘only Rahul Gandhi can deliver on statehood.’
“Congress is on the ground, others are in closed rooms,” Karra said.
Karra accused other parties of ‘wishful thinking’ and limiting themselves to statements while Congress has been ‘on the ground, taking beatings, facing arrests’ to push for statehood. “We came from Srinagar to Delhi by coaches for this. The slogan ‘Hamaari Riyasat, Hamaara Haq’ is not just a slogan, it’s a movement,” he said.
Karra said the party leadership, including Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rajni Patil joined the Delhi program to send a strong message and that the Congress party was committed to restoring J&K’s status.
“The message was loud and clear from our leadership that Congress will vociferously raise this issue in Parliament. Kharge Ji and Rahul Ji told us that even if nobody joins us, Congress will remain committed to this cause,” he said.
He said that the campaign for statehood was not a party-specific demand but a people’s movement. “This is not about Congress or any leader. It is about 1.40 crore people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Karra said—(KNO)
