Congress Demands Timely J&K Elections, Slams BJP’s Policies

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th August. 
The Congress on Monday called for elections in Jammu and Kashmir to be held within the Supreme Court’s stipulated deadline. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP of failing to respect ‘Kashmiriyat’ and uphold ‘Jamhuriyat’ (democracy) in the region.

Kharge’s remarks came on the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

In a post on X, Kharge criticized the BJP’s approach: “The Modi government claimed that this move would fully integrate Jammu and Kashmir, boost economic development, and curb terrorism and separatism. However, the reality is starkly different.”

He highlighted several concerns:

Terrorism: Since 2019, there have been 683 fatal terror attacks, resulting in 258 security personnel and 170 civilian deaths. Additionally, 25 attacks in Jammu region have claimed 15 soldiers’ lives and injured 27.

Targeted Killings: Kharge claimed targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits have become common.
Employment: 65% of government department posts remain vacant, with an unemployment rate of 10% and youth unemployment at 18.3%.
Investment and Development: The New Industrial Policy introduced in 2021 has seen only 3% of proposed investments, and 40% of projects under the PM’s Development Package, 2015, remain incomplete.
Economic Growth: The net state domestic product (NSDP) growth rate has fallen from 13.28% (April 2015-March 2019) to 8.73% post-2019.
Kharge said that people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh desire normalcy, a sentiment conveyed to Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
 “We demand that elections are held according to the Supreme Court’s deadline to allow the people to elect their own representatives and secure their constitutional rights,” he asserted.

The Supreme Court had directed the Election Commission to conduct assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024. These elections will be the first since the abrogation of Article 370 and the creation of the Union Territories.

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