Congress chief vows to fight for restoration of statehood in J&K

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge vowed to fight for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that he would remain active in politics until Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ousted from power.

Kharge’s remarks came amid criticism of the BJP-led government at the Centre for its handling of the Union Territory, particularly regarding the delay in the elections.

“We will fight to restore statehood. We are not going to leave it. I am 83 years old, I am not going to die so early. I will stay alive until PM Modi is removed from power. I will listen to you. I will fight for you,” Kharge said at a public rally here after he was provided medical assistance at the venue.

The Congress chief earlier complained of dizziness while speaking and had to be provided medical help.

“He was addressing a public rally in Jasrota when he felt uneasy and dizzy. His colleagues helped him into a chair,” said Congress general secretary Gulam Ahmed Mir.

Kharge had flown to Jasrota to address a rally to garner support for party candidates in the Assembly elections.

J&K Congress vice-president Ravindra Sharma said Kharge felt dizzy and was taken to a room where doctors were called for a check-up. Later, Kharge’s rally in Udhampur was cancelled. He will return to Delhi.

At the Jasrota rally, Kharge said: “I wanted to talk. But, I sat down due to dizziness. Please pardon me. They (BJP) are trying to terrorise us”.

Earlier while paying tributes to a head constable, who was killed in an encounter in Kathua, Kharge’s voice started fading. Party workers and security staff immediately provided support and sought medical help.

Kharge alleged that the BJP was “running J&K through remote control”. “These people never wanted to conduct elections. They only started preparing for elections after the Supreme Court’s order,” he stated.

He accused the BJP of failing to restore statehood despite having the authority to do so, and criticised the ruling party for allowing outsiders to dominate critical sectors such as mining and liquor contracts.

Kharge condemned Modi’s governance, claiming, “Modi is shedding crocodile tears for the future of the youth in J&K.”

Kharge said Modi’s recent visit to J&K showed his anxiety about potential defeat. “You must have heard how many lies Modi spoke when he came here. This shows his nervousness because he can clearly see defeat,” Kharge remarked.

He cautioned the people of Jammu and Kashmir against the BJP’s “deceitful tactics,” accusing the party of diverting attention away from pressing issues such as unemployment and the lack of development.

“Except for promises, the BJP did nothing for the people of J&K in the past 10 years. Now, during elections, they are shamelessly trying to raise irrelevant issues to hide their failures,” he stated.

The Congress chief underscored the importance of restoring the “Darbar Move” tradition for the economic prosperity of both Jammu and Kashmir regions, reiterating Congress’s commitment to the well-being and progress of the people.

He urged voters to support Thakur Balbir Singh, Congress candidate from Jasrota seat, which will go to polls on October 1.

BJP ‘running J&K through remote control’

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the BJP was “running J&K through remote control”. “These people never wanted to conduct elections. They only started preparing for elections after the Supreme Court’s order,” he stated.