Kiran Rijiju’s Statement is Centre’s Refusal to Honor Statehood Commitments: Tariq Hameed Karra

Taking a cue from Union Minister Kiran Rijiju’s recent statement, which refused to provide a timeline for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra today launched a sharp attack on the Modi government at the Centre. Karra said Rijiju’s remarks sent a clear message that the government is not ready to consider granting statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in the near future.

Expressing his frustration, Karra condemned the BJP-led government for its repeated betrayals, despite assurances made on multiple occasions about restoring statehood. He pointed out that the Centre had committed to granting early statehood on the floor of Parliament, before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, and in several public rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Karra stated that Rijiju’s statement was a direct reflection of the Centre’s intentions to backtrack on these promises.

Karra, who is currently leading a campaign across Jammu Province under the party’s mission “Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq” for the restoration of statehood, called on the people to prepare for a fight to reclaim their identity, dignity, status, and rights as a state. He addressed a large gathering of Congress workers in Doongi, Rajouri district, where he was joined by senior leaders including Working President Raman Bhalla, MLA Iftikhar Ahmed, District President and former Minister Shabir Ahmed Khan, DDC Rajouri Sain Abdul Rashid, and others.

During his speech, Karra highlighted the developmental work carried out by the UPA government in the region, such as the establishment of a medical college, several degree colleges, ITIs, and sports stadiums, along with infrastructure projects in health and education. He criticized the BJP-led government for neglecting the Rajouri-Poonch border belt over the past ten years, particularly in terms of connectivity, healthcare, and educational infrastructure.

Karra also referenced the abandoned railway project initiated by Rahul Gandhi in 2012, which had a proposed cost of ₹13,608 crore. He condemned the closure and merging of hundreds of schools and highlighted the issue of growing unemployment, pointing out that daily wagers, ad-hoc, and temporary employees across all government departments continue to suffer. He criticized the halt in recruitment, the cessation of teacher appointments, and the shift in army recruitment to the Agniveer scheme, all contributing to the region’s high unemployment rate.

Karra appreciated the efforts of local MLA Iftikhar Ahmed in serving the people and assured them that he would raise their demand for a new tehsil in the area.

In his speech, Working President Raman Bhalla strongly criticized the BJP for maintaining control of powers in Jammu and Kashmir through the Lieutenant Governor, despite the existence of elected representatives. He argued that the government’s failure to restore statehood and empower the people had led to frustration among the youth, increasing unemployment, and a spike in drug abuse. Bhalla also spoke about the unprecedented price hikes and burdensome taxes faced by the public.

Bhalla further referred to the government’s betrayal of the PoJK refugees, whose one-time settlement package, recommended by Congress in 2014, had been significantly reduced by the BJP government.

MLA Iftikhar Ahmed raised concerns about local issues, including the demand for tehsil status, water and power shortages, rationing problems, and high unemployment rates. He called on the government to address these pressing issues.

DCC President Shabir Ahmed Khan highlighted the neglect of the Rajouri-Poonch region by the BJP, particularly in terms of the abandoned railway project and stalled road and electricity infrastructure projects.

The rally attendees raised slogans demanding the restoration of statehood and voiced their support for Congress’s campaign of “Jai Bapu, Hai Bhim, and Jai Samvidhan.” Several prominent leaders, including Shakeel Mir, Sajad Tariq, Vijay Sharma, Bittu Shah, Amit Sayal, Sushil Sharma, Suraj Langeh, Balkrishan, Rajinder Singh, Vipin Kumar, Deeraj Sharma, Sat Pal Sharma, and Ravinder Chouhan, also attended the event and voiced their concerns.

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