SRINAGAR: On the first day of Rahul Gandhi’s Kashmir tour, the Congress party released a hard-hitting charge sheet against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of monumental failures in governance over the past decade. The charge sheet, entitled Kya Khoya, Kya Paya? Jammu and Kashmir Chargesheet: Sab Kuch Khoya, Kuch Nahi Paya, presents a bleak picture of Jammu and Kashmir under BJP rule.
Rahul addressed public gatherings in both Jammu and Kashmir, echoing the concerns raised in the charge sheet. He lambasted the BJP for what he described as a “deliberate assault on democracy and the welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.” The charge sheet accuses the BJP of turning Jammu and Kashmir into “a land of broken promises and shattered dreams,” with statehood being denied and the local population treated as “second-class citizens.”
The charge sheet provides statistics on the economic conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting that the region has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country at 28.2 per cent among the 15-29 age group, nearly double the national average. The situation is even more dire for young women, with an unemployment rate of 48.6 per cent, the highest in India. “Over 12,000 domicile certificates were granted to “outsiders” by 2024, reducing job opportunities for J&K youth,” the document revealed.
Besides, the charge sheet claims 65 per cent of government department posts have remained vacant since 2019, a situation the Congress blames on “the BJP’s failure to address the employment crisis.”
The charge sheet draws attention to the significant increase in the cost of living in Jammu and Kashmir over the past decade. It highlights the 120 per cent rise in the price of LPG cylinders, the 37 per cent increase in petrol prices, and the 109 per cent surge in the cost of mustard oil, making daily life increasingly unaffordable for the average resident. Coupled with these price hikes are severe electricity shortages, with the charge sheet noting that “Kashmir faced its worst electricity crisis with power generation hitting a record low of 50-100 megawatts against the demand of 1,800 megawatts in November 2023.”
In addition, the document criticises the BJP’s policies for favouring outsiders over local residents. “Outsiders are being allocated land, resources, and jobs, while the locals grapple with rising prices, high taxes, water shortages, poor electricity supply, and excessive billing through smart meters,” the charge sheet reads. It further alleges that state lands previously cultivated by local farmers have been reclaimed and transferred to the Jammu and Kashmir State Industrial Development Corporation, leading to widespread displacement and environmental degradation.
The Congress charge sheet also focuses on the social crises facing JK, particularly the rise in crime, drug abuse, and mental health issues. According to the document, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported a 15 per cent increase in crimes against women in J&K in 2021, with the region having the second-highest rate of crimes against women among Union Territories after Delhi. Furthermore, the charge sheet highlights the exponential rise in drug abuse, noting that ” Jammu and Kashmir has around 13.5 lakh drug users,” including approximately 1.7 lakh children aged 10-17 years, as estimated by a Parliamentary Standing Committee in August 2023.
Mental health issues have also reached alarming levels, with the charge sheet citing surveys indicating that 41 per cent of the adult population in Kashmir suffers from probable depression, 26 per cent from anxiety, and 19 per cent from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Long periods of unrest, isolation, and a lack of opportunities have contributed to an increase in mental health issues among the residents of Jammu and Kashmir,” the document states.
According to the charge sheet, corruption has been rampant under BJP rule, with allegations of cronyism reaching the highest levels of the administration. “Corruption is reportedly being encouraged from the top, starting in the LG’s own office,” the document states. It cites specific cases, including the alleged Rs13,000 crore scam within the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) unveiled by retired IAS officer Ashok Kumar Parmar. Despite multiple complaints and calls for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, the charge sheet claims that “neither the LG nor the Home Minister nor the Prime Minister initiated a detailed investigation into the corruption and irregularities in JJM’s implementation.”
The charge sheet also notes the case of former Governor Shri Satya Pal Malik, who publicly accused the government of targeting whistleblowers instead of investigating corruption allegations. “The trail of corruption extends to the highest levels of government, especially the LG office,” the document asserts, quoting Malik’s statement: “Despite being ill and hospitalised for the last 3-4 days, government agencies are raiding my house under dictatorial orders instead of investigating those I accused of corruption involving hundreds of crores.”
The Congress party’s charge sheet concludes with a call for urgent change in JK, urging the restoration of democracy, the end of corruption, and the implementation of policies that truly benefit the people of the region. “Only the Congress party is positioned to counter this grave manipulation that aims to benefit a select few at the expense of the rights and welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the charge sheet claims.
