Rahul Gandhi Urges PM Modi to Restore Jammu & Kashmir’s Statehood, Presses for Sixth Schedule Status to Ladakh

New Delhi: In a significant political move ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has written a formal letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh through inclusion in the Sixth Schedule.

In the letter, Gandhi emphasized that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been “consistently calling for the restoration of their democratic rights” since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. He underlined that this is the first time in independent India that a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation into Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

“The demand is both legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights,” Gandhi stated, recalling the government’s own assurances before the Supreme Court about the early restoration of statehood.

Despite these assurances, sources within the government have indicated that there is currently no plan to table such a bill in the upcoming Parliament session, which is set to begin on July 21.

Gandhi also referenced the recent terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 lives were lost. He acknowledged the gravity of the incident but stressed that this should not be used to delay democratic restoration, adding that security and democracy must go hand in hand.

Beyond Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress MP also advocated for the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution—a demand long championed by local leaders and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who recently undertook an indefinite fast over the issue.

“Including Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule would help preserve the cultural and tribal identity of its people, safeguard their land rights, and ensure political autonomy,” the letter read.

The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution provides for autonomous district councils for tribal areas, enabling self-governance and protection of indigenous traditions. Given that a majority of Ladakh’s population belongs to Scheduled Tribes, the demand has found widespread support among civil society and regional groups.

While both PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have publicly committed to restoring Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood in principle, no specific timeline has been provided so far.

New Delhi: In a significant political move ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has written a formal letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh through inclusion in the Sixth Schedule.

In the letter, Gandhi emphasized that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been “consistently calling for the restoration of their democratic rights” since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. He underlined that this is the first time in independent India that a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation into Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

“The demand is both legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights,” Gandhi stated, recalling the government’s own assurances before the Supreme Court about the early restoration of statehood.

Despite these assurances, sources within the government have indicated that there is currently no plan to table such a bill in the upcoming Parliament session, which is set to begin on July 21.

Gandhi also referenced the recent terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 lives were lost. He acknowledged the gravity of the incident but stressed that this should not be used to delay democratic restoration, adding that security and democracy must go hand in hand.

Beyond Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress MP also advocated for the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution—a demand long championed by local leaders and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who recently undertook an indefinite fast over the issue.

“Including Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule would help preserve the cultural and tribal identity of its people, safeguard their land rights, and ensure political autonomy,” the letter read.

The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution provides for autonomous district councils for tribal areas, enabling self-governance and protection of indigenous traditions. Given that a majority of Ladakh’s population belongs to Scheduled Tribes, the demand has found widespread support among civil society and regional groups.

While both PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have publicly committed to restoring Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood in principle, no specific timeline has been provided so far.