In its election manifesto "Nyay Patra" released on Friday, the Congress promised to restore statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and other leaders released the Nyay Patra party manifesto.
The party's election manifesto focuses on "Paanch Nyay" or five pillars of justice, including "Yuva Nyay", "Naari Nyay", "Kisaan Nyay", "Shramik Nyay", and "Hissedari Nyay" as well as the guarantees made by it to the people as part of its poll promises for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Although Congress has always supported statehood for J&K, the party has incorporated this demand in its election manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
"We will immediately restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir", the Congress assured in its election manifesto.
Earlier, in December 2023, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) passed two resolutions at its executive committee meeting demanding the restoration of statehood for the Union Territory and the assembly election.
JKPCC also demanded an immediate filling of all vacant posts in all government and semi-government institutions in a fast-track mode and called for the constitution of a "high-level independent commission" for the investigation of recruitment scams.
The resolutions were passed under the command of AICC In-charge, J-K Affairs, Rajni Patil.
"Today we held the meeting of the political affairs committee in which we passed two resolutions - one political and another socio-economic. We are holding the meeting to debate the issues. We are discussing the J-K situation and hearing workers' viewpoints on it," Patil said.
She said the party will accordingly formulate the policy according to them.
"Supreme Court has kept the deadline of September 24, 2024. We want restoration of statehood. We want guarantees for jobs. We want an early assembly election so that we have a council of ministers and MLAs here," she said.
Erstwhile state of J&K bifurcated into two Union Territories in 2019
The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories as per the J&K Reorganization Act 2019. Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated from October 31, 2019.
This was the first time in the history of India that a state was converted into two Union Territories.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, states that the appointed day for the two UTs is October 31, 2019.
The announcement of the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A and its bifurcation was made in Rajya Sabha on August 5, 2019.
Azad also promises to restore statehood
Democratic Azad Progressive Party (DPAP) chairman, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the party will bring Jammu and Kashmir's statehood back if voted to power.
Addressing media persons, Azad, who is a DPAP Lok Sabha candidate from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, said that he has always led from the front.
"I have stood against the August 05, 2019 decision by holding a sit-in for four hours and spoke against it on the floor of the house. I will continue to fight for it and if voted to power, we will work for the restoration of statehood," he said.
Promises made in Congress manifesto
The Congress party unveiled its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on Friday at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi.
In the midst of intense competition preceding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, marked by party defections, mudslinging, and a surge in corruption-related crackdowns by enforcement agencies, the Congress manifesto pledges accountability for those who switched parties to evade justice.
The party leaders unveiled the party manifesto titled Nyay Patra. The manifesto outlines the party's commitment to "Paanch Nyay" or five pillars of justice, including "Yuva Nyay", "Naari Nyay", "Kisaan Nyay", "Shramik Nyay", and "Hissedari Nyay", along with various guarantees to the electorate.
Key promises in the Congress manifesto include the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, a probe into allegations against BJP defectors who escaped legal scrutiny, abolishment of the Agnipath programme, and ensuring the Armed Forces reach full sanctioned strength through normal recruitment.
Other commitments include legal guarantees for Minimum Support Price (MSP) as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission, the introduction of a national minimum wage set at Rs 400 per day, and the launch of an urban employment programme to provide jobs for the urban poor in infrastructure reconstruction and renewal projects.
Additionally, the Congress pledges to abolish contractualisation of regular jobs in government and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) while ensuring the regularization of such appointments.
