Reiterating the demand for the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said it does not make sense to run J&K from Delhi.
Mr. Gandhi made these remarks during an interaction with Kashmiri women during his recent visit to Srinagar, a video of which was released on Monday (August 26, 2024).
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“My problem with the PM [Narendra Modi] is that he does not listen to anyone. I have a problem with someone who from the beginning believes that they are right. Even if he sees something that is showing him that he is wrong, he will not accept it. So then that type of person will always create some problem or the other,” Mr. Gandhi told the women in a free-wheeling conversation.
“It comes from insecurity, it does not come from strength. It comes from weakness,” he added.
During the conversation, when Mr. Gandhi asked the girls about the pressure to get married, they asked him the same question. “I have outlasted that pressure for 20-30 years,” the 54-year-old leader said smilingly. Asked if he planned to get married, he said, “I don’t plan it but if it happens...”
In the video, Mr. Gandhi talked about the upcoming elections in J&K and mentioned how statehood had been taken away for the first time in Indian history.
“We are clear, the way it was done, we did not like. But, now for us the principle is to get the statehood back and that includes representation for the people of Jammu Kashmir, and Ladakh. This status of running Kashmir, running Jammu from Delhi does not make any sense,” he said.
“These girls are enrolled in various colleges, studying subjects like Law, Physics, Journalism, and Political Science — I understood their expectations and challenges deeply. We spoke about the Kolkata incident and its broader implications, particularly regarding the harassment of women,” Mr. Gandhi said in a message accompanying the video on his YouTube channel.
Mr. Gandhi said that the students had shared their concerns over how such incidents reflect systemic issues that need addressing, and how they impacted women’s safety and dignity across regions.
“The women of Kashmir have strength, resilience, wisdom, and a lot to say, but are we are giving a chance for their voices to be heard,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4.
