The Congress party has urged for elections in Jammu & Kashmir to allow the people to elect their representatives and end governance by bureaucracy. On the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the BJP-led government’s handling of the region, highlighting several issues, including rising terrorism, unemployment, and stalled economic development.
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- Congress demands elections in Jammu & Kashmir as per the Supreme Court’s deadline.
- The party seeks to end governance by bureaucracy in the region.
- Mallikarjun Kharge criticizes BJP’s policies, stating they neither respect ‘Kashmiriyat’ nor uphold ‘Jamhuriyat’.
- The statement marks the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 by the Centre in 2019.
- Kharge notes that the government’s claims of full integration, economic growth, and reduced terrorism have not materialized.
- Since 2019, there have been 683 fatal terror attacks, with 258 security personnel and 170 civilians killed.
- Targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits have increased in recent years.
- 65% of government posts in Jammu & Kashmir remain vacant since 2019.
- The unemployment rate in the region stands at 10%, with youth unemployment at 18.3%.
- Kharge states that Jammu & Kashmir’s NSDP growth rate has declined post-2019, with many development projects still pending.
