Srinagar, Sep 27 : The Congress on Sunday backed any formulation promising “statehood plus” for Jammu and Kashmir, with party MP and spokesperson Pawan Khera asserting that the party has all along demanded constitutional guarantees on land and jobs in the Union Territory.
Speaking to news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) on the sidelines of the Kashmir Youth Conclave here, MP Khera said the Congress and its ally, the National Conference (NC), were on the same page on the issue.
“We support anything that talks about statehood plus. The Congress party has been talking about not just the restoration of statehood,” MP Khera said.
He said the party has been seeking constitutional guarantees for land and jobs, and that the NC is also absolutely in agreement with that.
That’s what we’ve been insisting upon, that’s what we’ve been fighting about, he said.
Asked whether he was referring to Article 371 rather than Article 370, MP Khera said, We are talking about constitutional guarantees for jobs and lands. That’s Article 371. Whatever you want to call it. You know, they want us to get caught in these definitions. We are caught in the principle. We are talking about the principle of having constitutional guarantees for jobs and lands.
On whether the Congress would support the resolution moved by the JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, he said, We support anything that talks about statehood plus. (KNS)
