Rahul Gandhi writes to PM, makes key demand for J&K in Parliament session
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting the government to bring a bill for the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament.
In the letter, Gandhi said the demand was both legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights. However, as per sources, the government has no plans to bring such a bill in the upcoming session, which begins on July 21.
When Article 370 was abrogated in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was also bifurcated into two Union Territories – J&K, and Ladakh.
“For the past five years, the people of J&K have consistently called for the restoration of full statehood… While there have been instances of Union Territories being granted statehood in the past, the case of J&K is without precedent in independent India. This is the first time a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation,” the letter said.
The restoration of statehood to the Union Territory has been a long-pending demand of the opposition. However, the Pahalgam terror attack in April 22, which left 26 dead, has come as a blow to the demand.
