Cong demands J&K statehood restoration, raises alarm over Bihar SIR

New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) Congress Rajya Sabha MP and party in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, Syed Nasir Hussain, has reiterated the demand for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfil his commitment.

He also raised serious concerns about the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, calling it a "systematic attempt to delete voters".

Speaking to IANS in New Delhi on Wednesday, Hussain said, “This is the first time in India’s democratic history that a state was downgraded to a Union Territory. Reorganisation, delimitation and elections have been done. The only step pending now is the restoration of statehood.”

He pointed out that Prime Minister Modi had publicly assured this on multiple occasions. “On May 19, 2024, in Bhubaneswar, and again on September 19, 2024, in Srinagar, the PM said that statehood would be restored. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders have also repeated this promise,” he said.

Hussain confirmed that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have written to PM Modi, demanding that statehood be granted in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. “Bring legislation in this Monsoon Session and fulfil your promise,” he added.

On the ongoing controversy around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Hussain accused the BJP of trying to manipulate voter lists. “Earlier, they added voters during the Maharashtra elections; now they want to delete voters in Bihar. This is a clear attempt to win elections unfairly,” he said.

Referring to opposition from parties across the spectrum who are opposing, he said, “TDP, a part of NDA, has objected. There are talks that this SIR would now be done in other parts also. Trinamool Congress has already opposed this, and they had even met the Election Commission to register their opposition. Several petitions have been filed, and the Supreme Court is set to hear the matter on July 28.”

Hussain further criticised the timing of SIR amid floods in Bihar. “Demanding documents during floods will hurt the poor, Dalits and tribals. They’ll be pushed off the voter list. Eventually, all parties except the BJP will oppose this,” he warned.

--IANS

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