Congress Urges Immediate Restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's Full Statehood

Call for Full Statehood in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi, August 5 - On Wednesday, the Congress party demanded the immediate restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that citizens have been waiting for the fulfillment of this promise since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of the state seven years ago. Syed Nasir Hussain, the party's general secretary and in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have repeatedly assured the restoration of statehood, yet this commitment remains unfulfilled.

Hussain pointed out that the delimitation process has been completed and assembly elections have taken place, but the current arrangement still allows the Lieutenant Governor to hold more power than an elected government in the union territory.

The Congress leader criticized this situation as inconsistent with the federal spirit of the Constitution and democratic principles, arguing that it deprives the people of Jammu and Kashmir of full democratic self-governance, akin to other states. He reiterated the party's demand for the unconditional restoration of full statehood, granting constitutional rights to the elected government, and ensuring respect for the Constitution, democratic institutions, and the federal framework. Hussain urged the central government to fulfill its promise without delay.

On August 5, 2019, the central government rendered most provisions of Article 370 ineffective, thereby revoking Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status. This was followed by the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, which reorganized the former state into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.