Rahul Gandhi

Jammu, Sep 04: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday kick-started Congress election campaign for the upcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir from Banihal where he addressed a public rally. 

Addressing a massive public gathering in Sangaldan areas of Banihal, which will vote in the first phase of the election on September 18, Rahul Gandhi, said the party’s first step will be to restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir

“In the history of modern India, we do not see such disempowerment of a state. Earlier, states were divided to create another state, we have examples of Telangana, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and UT like Arunachal Pradesh made a full-fledged state but BJP government demeaned J&K by making it UT,” he said.

He added that they wanted to get the statehood status to J&K before elections, but BJP does not want this.

Lashing out at the BJP, he said that the entire government is being run for two billionaires. “If you see, the status of the state which has been taken away from you, the aim was only to help the two billionaires,” he said.

Exuding confidence that the NC-Congress will put up a good show in the assembly polls, he said one thing is for sure that the Congress coalition government is going to come here. “It is certain that this is going to happen. Our first task will be to fill all the government vacancies and make the age limit 40 years. We will regularise and make daily-wage earners permanent and increase their income”.

Gandhi further said that BJP and RSS people are spreading hatred and violence in the country and are working to divide the country, but the Congress will unite it.(KNO)