Jammu: July 17: The Congress party has made it clear that its current core agenda for Jammu and Kashmir is the restoration of full statehood—not the reinstatement of Article 370 or special status. Reaffirming this position on Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Tariq Hameed Karra said that without the Congress and its efforts, no meaningful pressure can be exerted on the Central Government to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Congress and its allies hold 233 seats in Parliament. Without our collective voice, there is no viable path to pressuring the Centre on this issue,” Karra told journalists in Srinagar.
Highlighting the concerns around the region’s current governance structure, Karra said the ongoing dual administration in Jammu and Kashmir is not only undemocratic but also deeply harmful to the region’s interests.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the JKPCC and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Karra thanked Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Board Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and senior leader Rahul Gandhi for writing a letter to the Prime Minister, urging the immediate restoration of statehood.
“They have acknowledged the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and shown support for our campaign—Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq—aimed at reclaiming our rightful statehood. This letter is historic, drafted at a historic moment,” he stated.
Karra also referred to a meeting held on July 15 in Delhi under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, where it was unanimously concluded that the time for hollow promises on statehood is over. The Congress, along with its alliance partners, resolved to convey to the Prime Minister that further delay in restoring statehood is unacceptable. The letter submitted to the PM is the outcome of that decision.
He further emphasized that the Congress will raise the issue forcefully in Parliament. “This dual governance model is against the democratic fabric and serves no one’s interest. It must end,” he said.
Condemning the alleged mistreatment of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on July 14, Karra called it “shameful and unfortunate,” adding that such incidents are symptomatic of the flawed administrative structure currently in place.
“No matter what others say, we remain committed to our cause,” Karra said. “It is the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee that has consistently and effectively campaigned across the Union Territory for the restoration of statehood.”
