Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 5: Encouraged by peoples’ response to the ongoing campaign in the Union Territory, the Congress in its election manifesto “Nyay Patra” released on Friday, promised to restore statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Fighting on two out of the total five Lok Sabha seats, Congress candidates Choudhary Lal Singh and Raman Bhalla have started aggressive campaigns in both Jammu-Reasi and Udhampur-Doda parliamentary seats.
The fighting on the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat, which was looking one sided just 15 days ago, has turned into interesting one after campaign of Congress candidate Choudhary Lal Singh has picked up in the hilly areas and Udhampur, Kathua and Doda towns.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and other leaders released the party manifesto titled Nyay Patra.
The party’s election manifesto focuses on “Paanch Nyay” or five pillars of justice, including “Yuva Nyay”, “Naari Nyay”, “Kisaan Nyay”, “Shramik Nyay”, and “Hissedari Nyay” as well as the guarantees made by it to the people as part of its poll promises for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Although Congress has always supported statehood for J&K, the party has incorporated this demand in its election manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
“We will immediately restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir”, the Congress assured in its election manifesto.
Earlier, in December 2023, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) passed two resolutions at its executive committee meeting demanding the restoration of statehood for the Union Territory and the assembly election.
JKPCC also demanded an immediate filling of all vacant posts in all government and semi-government institutions in a fast-track mode and Fighting on two out of the total five Lok Sabha seats, Congress candidates have started aggressive campaigns.
The contest on Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat has turned interesting after entry of Choudhary Lal Singh.
Although Congress has always supported statehood for J&K, the party has incorporated this demand in its election manifesto.
The Congress leadership is discussing the J&K situation and hearing workers' viewpoints on it.
The resolutions were passed under the command of AICC In-charge, J-K Affairs, Rajni Patil.
“Today we held the meeting of the political affairs committee in which we passed two resolutions - one political and another socio-economic. We are holding the meeting to debate the issues. We are discussing the J-K situation and hearing workers' viewpoints on it,” Patil said.
She said the party will accordingly formulate the policy according to them.
“Supreme Court has kept the deadline of September 24, 2024. We want restoration of statehood. We want guarantees for jobs. We want an early assembly election so that we have a council of ministers and MLAs here,” she said.
The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories as per the J&K Reorganization Act 2019.
Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated from October 31, 2019.
This was the first time in the history of India that a state was converted into two Union Territories.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, states that the appointed day for the two UTs is October 31, 2019.
The announcement of the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A and its bifurcation was made in Rajya Sabha on August 5, 2019.
Democratic Azad Progressive Party (DPAP) chairman, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the party will bring Jammu and Kashmir's statehood back if voted to power.
Addressing media persons, Azad, who is a DPAP Lok Sabha candidate from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat said that he has always led from the front.
“I have stood against the August 05, 2019 decision by holding a sit-in for four hours and spoke against it on the floor of the house. I will continue to fight for it and if voted to power, we will work for the restoration of statehood,” he said. |
