New Delhi: In a significant political development, the Leaders of Opposition in both Houses of Parliament — Mallikarjun Kharge (Rajya Sabha) and Rahul Gandhi (Lok Sabha) — have jointly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The letter emphasizes that the demand for statehood in Jammu and Kashmir is “legitimate” and deeply rooted in the region’s constitutional and democratic rights. It also underlines that the downgrading of J&K from a full-fledged state to a Union Territory after its bifurcation in 2019 remains unprecedented in independent India.
The opposition leaders reminded the Prime Minister of his public commitments regarding the restoration of statehood, citing his statements in Bhubaneswar (May 2024) and Srinagar (September 2024), as well as assurances made by the Union Government before the Supreme Court during the hearings on Article 370.
“We urge the Government to bring forward legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter states.
In addition, the letter also appeals for legislative steps to include Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, highlighting the need to protect the cultural, political, and developmental rights of the region’s people.
This joint appeal is likely to intensify the political discourse around Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in the ongoing session of Parliament.
