Priority on having assembly elections in J&K at the earliest: Ramesh

Srinagar, Jan 28 (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said the “restoration” of democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir is of utmost priority and assembly elections should be held at the earliest, followed by the reinstatement of full statehood.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh stated this at a presser on the sidelines of the Bharat Jodo Yatra at JKPCC headquarters here.

Ramesh had on Friday said the Yatra will not discuss political issues of Jammu and Kashmir such as the abrogation of Article 370 and the Gupkar Alliance as there will be other opportunities to raise those.

On Saturday, he said there are many political issues in J-K of day-to-day concern and also of larger concern.

“The Congress party believes, Mr Rahul Gandhi has articulated this earlier, restoration of the democratic process in J-K is of utmost urgency and priority,” he said, adding the priority is to have the assembly elections in J-K at the earliest.

Ramesh said restoration of the status of a full-fledged state to J-K is the second priority.

“It must engage the attention of those in Delhi, and there are issues of land and jobs which also need to be addressed through legal and other administrative measures,” he added.

However, the Congress general secretary said all this has to be done only when the democratic process is restored fully and J-K is once again a full-fledged state of the Indian union with Ladakh enjoying the constitutional powers under Schedule-6.

On its penultimate day on Saturday, Ramesh said the Yatra would have covered a total distance of 4080 km when it reaches Nehru Park here on Sunday.

The Yatra has been on for 136 days, with a nine-day break in between in Delhi, he said.

Ramesh said the Yatra has covered 75 districts across the country with an average walk of 23-24 km per day.