Will put pressure for restoration of statehood to J&K: Rahul Gandhi in Surankote

Surankote, Sep 23: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that the Congress would put pressure on the Centre if it failed to restore Jammu and Kashmir's statehood after completion of the assembly elections.

He also claimed that the INDIA bloc had "broken the psychology" of Prime Minister Narendra after the Lok Sabha elections.

"This was the first time that a state was turned into a Union Territory in the country's history… Your democratic right was snatched. We have given priority to the demand for restoration of statehood," Gandhi said.

Speaking at an election rally in support of Congress-National Conference alliance candidates in the Surankote area of Poonch district, he further said, "If they fail to restore statehood after the elections, we will put pressure on them to ensure that your statehood is restored."

Gandhi alleged that Jammu and Kashmir was being ruled by Delhi and decisions were made by non-locals.

The Congress leader also accused the RSS-BJP of spreading hatred to divide people in the name of religion, caste, creed and region, and claimed the Congress had opened "shops of love in the markets of hate" to counter them.

The three-phase polls for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly are currently underway. Voting for the second and third phases to be held on Wednesday and October 1, respectively.

The results will be declared on October 8.