The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) on Monday announced a public outreach campaign across the union Territory on July 5 as part of the party’s nationwide programme to highlight issues concerning students, youth, farmers and the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The decision was taken at a joint meeting of the Urban and Rural Congress Committees, chaired by AICC Secretary Divya Maderna and JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla.
The meeting was attended by District Congress Committee (Rural Jammu) president Neeraj Kundan, PCC Headquarters Incharge Ved Mahajan, Assembly constituency incharges, observers, block presidents, senior leaders, office-bearers and party functionaries from across the Jammu region.
A key feature of the July 5 campaign will be ‘Chatron Ki Goonj’, a nationwide Congress initiative aimed at highlighting the concerns of students and youth.
The programme will focus on the alleged NEET paper leak, examination irregularities, rising unemployment and what the party described as the BJP government’s anti-student policies.
The Congress said the campaign would also reiterate its commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability and fairness in the education system.
Addressing the meeting, Divya Maderna said the Congress would continue to stand firmly with students and youth whose future, she alleged, has been jeopardised by repeated examination controversies.
She termed the NEET paper leak a serious betrayal of the aspirations of lakhs of young Indians and said the nationwide ‘Chatron Ki Goonj’ campaign would amplify students’ voices while exposing what she described as the BJP government’s failure to protect the integrity of the country’s examination system.
Speaking on the occasion, Raman Bhalla said the people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing multiple challenges, including unemployment, rising electricity bills, farmers’ distress and the continued denial of full statehood.
He alleged that the existing dual governance system, with powers divided between the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and the elected government, has weakened accountability and delayed decision-making on issues affecting the public.
Reiterating the Congress party’s demand for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Bhalla said the July 5 campaign would provide a strong democratic platform to raise the concerns of all sections of society and hold the BJP-led government accountable.
The Congress leadership maintained that the present governance arrangement has created administrative confusion and diluted accountability, asserting that the restoration of full statehood is essential for ensuring a single, accountable government capable of addressing public concerns and fulfilling the aspirations of the people.
The meeting resolved to launch a large-scale public outreach and protest programme on July 5 across Jammu and Kashmir, focusing on issues such as the NEET paper leak, examination irregularities, unemployment, farmers’ distress, rising electricity tariffs and the restoration of full statehood.
District Congress Committee (Rural Jammu) president Neeraj Kundan alleged that the BJP government’s policies have created uncertainty among students, youth and farmers, while repeated examination irregularities and growing unemployment have eroded the confidence of the younger generation.
He said the Congress would continue to raise the people’s concerns through democratic and peaceful means until justice is ensured.
The party leaders called upon Congress workers at all levels to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and ensure maximum public participation in the July 5 programme.
They reiterated the Congress party’s commitment to fighting democratically for the rights of students, youth, farmers and other sections of society while intensifying its campaign for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
