Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday reiterated his demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, emphasising that running the region from Delhi “does not make any sense.”
Gandhi’s remarks came during an interaction with a group of Kashmiri women during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir last week. A video of the interaction was released by the Congress party on Monday, where Gandhi can be seen engaging with the women on various local issues and concerns.
“My problem with the PM (Narendra Modi) is that he does not listen to anyone. I have a problem with someone who from the beginning believes that they are right. Even if he sees something that is showing him that he is wrong, he will not accept it. So then that type a person will always create some problem or the other,” Gandhi told the Kashmiri women students.
“It comes from insecurity, it does not come from strength. It comes from weakness,” he added.
In the video, Gandhi addresses the upcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir, noting that it marks the first time in India’s history that statehood has been revoked from a region.
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“We are clear, the way it was done, we did not like. But, now for us the principle is to get the statehood back and that includes representation to people of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh. This status of running Kashmir, running Jammu from Delhi does not make any sense,” Gandhi said.
In a message shared alongside the video on his YouTube channel, Gandhi mentioned his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, where he met with several Kashmiri students in Srinagar.
“These girls are enrolled in various colleges, studying subjects like law, physics, journalism, and political science – I understood their expectations and challenges deeply. We spoke about the Kolkata incident and its broader implications, particularly regarding the harassment of women,” Gandhi said in his post.
The students voiced concerns about how such incidents highlight deeper systemic issues that require attention and how they affect women’s safety and dignity across various regions, Gandhi shared.
Gandhi further praised the women of Kashmir for their strength, resilience, and wisdom, questioning whether their voices are truly being heard.
The elections for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly will take place in three phases: on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The results are set to be declared on October 4.