Kashmir is India’s internal issue, violence in J-K due to Pakistan: Rahul backs Modi govt

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that violence in Jammu and Kashmir is instigated and supported by Pakistan. He also emphasised that Kashmir is India’s internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it.

“I disagree with this Govt. on many issues. But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India’s internal issue & there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it,” the Wanayad MP tweeted.

“There is violence in Jammu & Kashmir. There is violence because it is instigated and supported by Pakistan which is known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world,” the former Congress president said in another tweet.

Meanwhile, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, has issued a statement stating Rahul Gandhi’s name has been mischievously dragged to justify the pack of lies and deliberate misinformation being spread by Pakistan.

“Let no one in the world be in doubt that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain an integral part of India. No amount of diabolical deception by Pakistan shall change this irrevocable truth. Instead, Pakistan should answer to the world about unpardonable and inhumane violations of human rights in POK-Gilgit-Hunza-Baltistan. Pakistan also owes an explanation for designed persecution of over 70 million Mohajirs and killing of over 25,000 by Pakistani Forces,” the statement reads.

“Let the world be reminded again that almost every terrorist organisation thrives in Pakistan under political and military patronage – be it Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Hizbul Mujahedeen, Al-Queda or Taliban and its multiple offshoots. We urge that Pakistan should answer these issues, both internally to its people as also to international community, instead of raising the fake Kashmir bogey”, Surjewala said in the statement.

Earlier, Gandhi - who had gone to visit Kashmir but was sent back from Srinagar Airport - said that it's clear that situation in the Valley was not normal. He said that he was invited by Governor Satya Pal Malik to visit Kashmir but still not allowed beyond the airport.

“Some days ago, I was invited by Governor to visit Jammu and Kashmir. I accepted the invitation. We wanted to get a sense of what people are going through, but we weren't allowed beyond the airport. Press people with us were mishandled, beaten. It's clear that situation in Jammu and Kashmir isn't normal,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The Gandhi scion, along with senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, DMK’s A Raja, CPI-M’s Sitaram Yechuri, had gone to Kashmir to see the situation on ground. However, the authorities detained them at the Srinagar Airport and sent back to Delhi.