Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has raised alarm over the imposition of decisions by outsides aimed at marginalizing the local population in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing election rallies in Sopore and Jammu areas of IIOJK, Rahul criticized the occupied territory’s administration led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for prioritizing outsiders over local residents.
He asserted that the presence of the BJP regime-appointed LG has undermined local interests, with contracts – both large and small – being awarded to external parties. This trend, he said, has extended to local mining activities and resources, leaving the people of the occupied territory grappling with economic distress. He highlighted the alarming unemployment rate, noting that educated youth are struggling to find jobs.
In a sharp critique of the BJP, Rahul Gandhi said that the party was using central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Income Tax Department to intimidate political opponents.
‘They talk about ‘Make in India’ and the defense industry,’ he said, ‘but the reality is that all the contracts are going to billionaires like Adani. An Israeli company is manufacturing weapons, yet Adani’s label is plastered on them. They claim it’s ‘Made in India,’ but these are Israeli products produced by Adani, not genuine Indian goods. This issue extends across the entire country.’
‘Airports, ports, roads, defense weapons, and even the apple production in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are under Adani’s control,’ he asserted. ‘We have the Adani tax at airports and the Ambani mobile tax. If you travel on the roads, that tax goes to Adani. Agricultural produce is managed by Adani, and the taxes on arms and ammunition used by the Army benefit him. How long will this continue?’
Rahul Gandhi concluded by highlighting the disparity in government support, noting that while the BJP-led government waives loans worth over Rs 16 lakh crore for a select group of billionaires, no similar concessions have been extended to local traders or farmers in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.