Intensifying his agitation over the issue of Statehood, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday threatened to wage protests inside and outside the Parliament to “force the BJP to grant Jammu and Kashmir its Statehood”.

Follow LIVE updates from the phase-2 polling on September 25, 2024

“Statehood is your right and your future. J&K cannot move forward without it. The INDIA alliance will build pressure on the BJP-led government to restore the Statehood. If they do not do so, we will storm the well in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and also hit streets across the country,” Mr. Gandhi, who spoke at multiple poll rallies in Jammu and north Kashmir, said.

Mr. Gandhi held an interaction session with local professionals in Jammu and addressed a poll in Kashmir’s volatile pocket of Sopore in north Kashmir in the afternoon.

He said the INDIA alliance would restore the Statehood after coming to power if the BJP didn’t succumb to the Opposition’s demands. “It’s (INDIA bloc assuming power) going to happen soon. We wanted that your Statehood restored before the Assembly elections,” Mr. Gandhi added.

Stating that several States in India have been bifurcated before, Mr. Gandhi said, “This is the first time in history that a State has been turned into a Union Territory. This has never happened in India, it’s a matter of shame. It should have never happened.”

He accused the Centre of downgrading J&K to UT “to pave way for outsiders to govern and sideline locals”. “Statehood was revoked to facilitate governance by non-residents. Affairs of J&K are run by outsiders. The Lieutenant Governor is doing things at his will,” Mr. Gandhi said.

In Sopore, also known as the apple town of Valley, Mr. Gandhi said the fruit, especially apples, from north Kashmir should “reach abroad like the U.S., China, and Japan, besides the markets of the country”. 

“I want this apple to go to America. The first step has to be the restoration of Statehood. Without that it is not possible,” Mr. Gandhi said.

He reiterated the poll promise of a minimum support price of ₹72 per kg for apple produce “will be covered under the crop insurance scheme as well”.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Gandhi said, “Kashmir’s economy was dependent on its Apple, but today PM Modi has handed over Kashmiri apples to the Adanis and Ambanis. There is Adani tax and Ambani tax. Prime Minister has waived off ₹16 lakh crore worth of loans for Adanis and Ambanis. This government runs for Ambani and Adani.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Gandhi promised to fulfil the Manmohan Singh government’s dream to make the return of Kashmiri migrants possible to the Valley again. In a bid to reach out to voters of the Jammu region, which will go to polls on October 1 in the third phase, he said smart electricity meters will be removed and Punjabi will be made an official language.