Article 370: As opposition plans J&K visit, administration says ‘do not disturb’

New Delhi, Aug 24: As a host of opposition leaders get ready to descend upon Jammu and Kashmir, which is largely under a lockdown post the abrogation of Article 370, the administration has said that the Valley should not be disturbed.

Their visit is likely to disturb the gradual restoration of normal life and put others to inconvenience.

A delegation of the Congress, CPI-M, CPI, RJD, TMC and DMK is planning on visiting Jammu and Kashmir today. Rahul Gandhi too is expected to accompany the delegation.

The Department of Information and Public Relations says that the visit will violate the restrictions, that are in force in many areas. These leaders must understand that priority must be to maintain peace and restore normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.

"At a time when the government is trying to protect the people of Jammu and Kashmir from threat of cross border terrorism and attacks by militants and mischief mongers, attempts should not be made by senior political leaders to disturb the gradual restoration of normal life. Political leaders are requested to cooperate and not visit Srinagar as they would be putting other people to inconvenience," the tweet by the department states.

The Opposition delegation plans to meet the people of Jammu and Kashmir to assess the situation after the Centre scrapped Article 370. Following this decision, restrictions were imposed to prevent violent protests.

Till date, no political leader has been allowed to visit the state as a security measure.The leaders of political parties in Srinagar, such as Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah have been under house arrest. Recently Congress MP, Ghulam Nahi Azad too was prevented from entering the state.