Don't need aircraft, ensure freedom to travel, meet people: Rahul responds to Guv Malik

Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Aug 13: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accepted Governor Satya Pal Malik's 'invitation' to visit Jammu and Kashmir but said he did not need an aircraft. Gandhi said he and other opposition leaders would visit Jammu and Kashmir and urged Malik to allow them the freedom to meet people, and soldiers.

Gandhi said in a tweet, "Dear Governor Malik, A delegation of opposition leaders & I will take you up on your gracious invitation to visit J&K and Ladakh. We won't need an aircraft but please ensure us the freedom to travel & meet the people, mainstream leaders and our soldiers stationed over there."

On Monday, Governor Malik invited Gandhi to visit Jammu and Kashmir, saying he would send an aircraft for him, after the Congress leader said, "People were dying in the state and the situation was not normal as claimed by the government."

On August 10 night, Gandhi said that some reports had come in from Jammu and Kashmir about the violence there and Prime Minister Narendra Modi must assuage concerns over the matter in a transparent manner.

The Governor said there was no communal angle in scrapping provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35-A was for everyone. There is no communal angle (for scrapping it) in Leh, Kargil, Jammu, Rajouri-Poonch and not here either (Kashmir). There is no communal angle to it," he said.

Malik said that the issue was being fanned by some people but they were not successful in it.