Srinagar- Congress president Malik Arjun Kharge said on Thursday that his party leadership is of the opinion to get all parties, including the opposition, on board for a pre-poll alliance ahead of the general assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a media conference following Congress workers meeting in Srinagar, Kharge said, besides seeking their opinion on the pre-poll alliance, the meeting was called to discuss how party workers are prepared for the election.
The meeting, he said, was held to seek feedback from the party workers about the ground level preparations for the assembly elections in J&K.
“We should fight in J&K as a united front, Rahul ji believes, bringing all political parties, including the opposition, on board, and we have succeeded in our endeavors. What our alliance ought to be will be based on the feedback of our local leadership who will be consulted before taking a final decision in this direction,” the Congress president said.
He said the promises the ruling had made with the people of J&K before Lok Sabha elections are yet to be fulfilled, asserting the pledges were based on rhetoric (Jumla-Bazi)in J&K as well.
“We have taken an initiative under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi that we will fight for the statehood of J&K, and we promise that we will get it done. Rahul ji rightly said that UT’s are converted into states but it’s for the first time in the history of India since independence that a full-fledged state was converted into a UT,” Kharge added.
Jammu and Kashmir, he said, was downgraded to a union territory, and that the two houses of legislature, including Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council and municipal and panchayat bodies nowhere in the site.
“They tried to muzzle the voice of dissent but the Congress party will not allow it to happen again, we will not let Modi ji and his party suppress the people of J&K anymore, we promise,” added the Congress leader.
Criticizing the centre for delaying elections in Jammu and Kashmir for such a long period, Kharge said, the polls were declared following the directions of the Supreme Court of India only.
The Congress party he said, is committed to fight for the restoration of the democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and
“Neither the BJP nor Modi will be able to silence the voices of the people of J&K and make any further advances there. We will protect the land and forest rights of the people, which are attempted to be snatched from them. We won’t allow this to happen,” he said.
The BJP government in J&K, he claimed, is engaging in daily wagering, contractual employment, and need-based hiring, which is why thousands of positions in the state remain unfilled and unemployment has reached a peak, according to Kharge.
“People watch and tolerate everything patiently, but the moment oppression overrides them, they rebel against it,” he said, adding, if we elected to power we would work to provide employment possibilities, bring in as many investment programs as possible to J&K, safeguard and develop small-scale and horticulture and tourism industries.
In order to bring back peace and prosperity to Jammu and Kashmir, Kharge promised to oppose communal powers. He said infiltration on borders and terrorism are increasing in J&K and the centre has forgotten its claims that peace would return to the region once Article 370 is repealed.
“Price hike and inflation has hit an all time high in J&K. We promise that people of J&K would longer bear this burden and witness peace and prosperity,” said the Congress leader.
He said that if Congress wins polls from J&K, the party would be able to conquer entire India. “People of J&K must repose trust in Congress so that we can pull you out of the mess and despair,” he said and urged people to vote for the party in large numbers in the upcoming Assembly elections commencing September 18. He said that Congress expects at least 40 to 45 seats in the upcoming polls. “As per a survey, it has come to fore that Rahul is the most popular leader in J&K.” He said that Congress will fight for the restoration of rights of people of J&K. “We will fight for your land, forests and rights snatched,” he said.
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