'Government Formation without Statehood Felt Incomplete': Rahul Gandhi on J&K

On the demand for restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, LoP Rahul Gandhi expressed concern that democracy was snatched from the people of J&K.

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a renewed pledge to continue their fight till statehood is fully restored to the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory. Without directly blaming anybody, Rahul Gandhi expressed concern that democracy was snatched from the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said, "Congratulations to CM Omar Abdullah and to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. However, government formation without statehood felt incomplete today. Democracy was snatched from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and today we renew our pledge to continue our fight until statehood is fully restored."

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi along with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi attended at the swearing-in ceremony of J and K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The Congress fought the recent J&K assembly elections as part of an alliance with the National Conference. In this election, Congress bagged six seats while its ally National Conference won 42 in the 90-member assembly. Though the Congress support is vital in the government formation, its leadership decided to extend support from outside to the Omar Abdullah-led NC government.

Most non-BJP parties in J&K have brought forward the demand for statehood to the union territory on the day of the oath-taking of CM Omar Abdullah today.