India, July 16 -- Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday wrote a letter urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce legislation during Parliament's monsoon session, commencing next week, for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)'s statehood. They sought the inclusion of Ladakh in the Constitution's Sixth Schedule, which provides for the administration of tribal areas through autonomous councils with legislative, executive, judicial, and financial powers, and a degree of self-governance.

"We urge the government to introduce legislation in the Monsoon Session to grant full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and extend Sixth Schedule protections to Ladakh. This would address the cultural, developmental, and ...