Urge Centre to grant full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir: Rahul, Kharge write to PM Modi

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the Centre to introduce a legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Additionally, the Congress leaders have also sought a legislation to include the Union Territory of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution.

Visiting the region, immediately after the announcement of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in August last year, Congress MP and leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had vowed the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking at the rally in August , Gandhi said: "It was the first time since Independence that a state had been downgraded to a UT. This has never happened before. UTs have become states but it is the first time that a state has become a UT. So, we are very clear in our national manifesto as well that it is a priority for us that the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh get their democratic rights back.”