Situation in Kashmir not normal, says Rahul Gandhi after being sent back from Srinagar

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had gone to visit Kashmir but was sent back from Srinagar Airport, Saturday said that it was clear 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.

“We weren't allowed to go to the city, but the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is terrifying. The stories we heard from the passengers of Kashmir present in our flight, would bring tears even to a stone,” Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

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After being sent back to Delhi, the delegation members have written to Budgam District Magistrate expressing strong objection to their “undemocratic and unconstitutional” detention at the Srinagar Airport.

“We record our strong objection to the basis of our detention, which prima facie is undemocratic and unconstitutional. This denial of our movement in Srinagar also amounts to violation of our fundamental rights,” the letter, signed by all the 12 members of the Opposition’s delegation, stated.

While the state and the central government continued to claim that the situation in Kashmir is normal following the  revocation of provisions of Article 370, some international media reports revealed that violent protests indeed took place in the Valley.