Srinagar, November 15, 2024 – Tariq Hameed Karra, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), reiterated the party’s stance on Article 370, affirming that Congress has been clear since 2019 that it does not seek the restoration of special status for the region, but is firmly committed to the demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
Speaking at a function marking the 135th birth anniversary of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Karra highlighted that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution of August 6, 2019, clearly outlined the party’s position. He criticized the BJP for spreading misinformation about Congress’s role in the revocation of Article 370, stressing that the resolution is “self-explanatory” and that the BJP’s accusations of Congress complicity are unfounded.
Karra responded to the BJP’s accusations during the recently concluded winter session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, where the government passed a resolution calling for the restoration of the region’s special status. The BJP, with 28 MLAs in the assembly, vocally opposed the resolution and accused Congress of being in alliance with the National Conference on the issue.
“I don’t know why the BJP keeps ignoring the CWC resolution. It’s in their files. They are deliberately spreading misinformation, but they won’t succeed,” Karra said, reiterating that the party’s position remains crystal clear. According to Karra, following the Supreme Court’s ruling on Article 370, the only outstanding demand for the people of Jammu and Kashmir is the restoration of statehood.
In addition to discussing Article 370, Karra also criticized the BJP and its ideological partner, the RSS, for attempting to erase the legacies of Congress leaders such as Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Rajiv Gandhi. “No matter how long they try, the contributions of these leaders to India’s sovereignty and integrity can never be forgotten,” Karra asserted, condemning what he described as the BJP’s “vicious attempts” to rewrite history.
Karra also addressed the resurgence of militant activity in Jammu and Kashmir, questioning the BJP-led government’s earlier claims that terrorism had been “defeated.” “A few months ago, they were celebrating an end to terrorism. Now, militancy has resurfaced, and the Union Government and LG administration must answer why,” Karra said, suggesting that the BJP’s overblown claims about peace in the region had proven premature.
Karra’s remarks underscore Congress’s ongoing critique of the BJP’s handling of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly regarding the fallout from the 2019 revocation of Article 370 and its impact on the region’s political and security landscape.
