**New Delhi, September 23, 2024**: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday renewed his call for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. During a public gathering in Poonch, Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of stripping the people of Jammu and Kashmir of their democratic rights by downgrading the region from a state to a Union Territory.Addressing the crowd, Gandhi highlighted the uniqueness of the move, stating, “This is the first time in India’s history that a state has been reduced to a Union Territory.” He compared the situation with previous instances where Union Territories were upgraded to statehood, citing examples of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Chhattisgarh’s creation from Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand from Bihar. “Union Territories have often been converted into states, and states have been divided to create new states. But never before has a state been turned into a Union Territory,” Gandhi remarked, referring to the government’s decision in 2019 to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 and bifurcate it into two Union Territories.Gandhi reiterated his party’s position that the democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir were being suppressed and demanded immediate restoration of statehood. “For the first time, a state has been told it will no longer be a state but a Union Territory. We demand that your state be returned to you, and your rights be restored,” he emphasized.The Congress leader’s remarks come amidst ongoing political debate over the status of Jammu and Kashmir, with opposition parties repeatedly calling for the reinstatement of its statehood.