Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge today (Wednesday, September 11) announced ‘five guarantees’ for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which include interest-free loans of Rs 5 lakh for women entrepreneurs and health insurance of Rs 25 lakh per family if the Congress-National Conference alliance comes to power in the Union Territory. He said that good health is our right. Kharge said that just like we did in Rajasthan, we will implement the same in Jammu and Kashmir.
While campaigning for the alliance candidates in Anantnag in south Kashmir, Kharge also said that the Congress-National Conference government will give Rs 3,000 per month to the female head of the family. Apart from this, he also promised to restore the provision of giving 11 kg of grain per person through the public distribution system. Kharge said that the BJP government at the Center has stolen six kilos but we will return it and give 11 kg of grain per person.
He said the promise made during the tenure of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding rehabilitation of migrant Kashmiri Pandits will be fulfilled. He said other backward classes (OBCs) will also get their rights as enshrined in the Constitution. The Congress president mentioned the ‘five guarantees’ in the presence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and other senior Congress leaders including KC Venugopal, Subodh Kant.
Kharge said there are one lakh vacancies in Jammu and Kashmir but the current administration appointed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre is not filling them because “they want to keep the people of Jammu and Kashmir poor”. “We will fill these vacancies. They have not set up any industry, so there is no job creation. We will focus on tourism and manufacturing. Over 4,400 government schools have been closed in the last several years. We will reopen them as we will focus on education,” the Congress president said.
Kharge reiterated that the party will try to get statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. He also promised to restore the bicameral legislature in the Union Territory. He said, “We will try to get statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. The bicameral house will be restored. They (BJP) keep asking how will we do it? When people are with us, we will do it because this is the power of the people.”
Let us tell you that Congress had promised similar guarantee in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana assembly elections and has formed government there by getting big majority. However, this bet of Congress could not work again in Rajasthan and Congress government was ousted from there. Congress and National Conference are contesting elections together in Jammu and Kashmir. Voting is to be held here in three phases between 18 September and 1 October. Results will come on 8 October. (With Bhasha inputs)
