SRINAGAR: Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha and Congress Leader, Rahul Gandhi, reached Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to extend support to the victims of the horrifying terror attack in Pahalgam. The attack, which occurred on April 22 in the scenic Baisaran valley, led to the tragic demise of 28 individualsโmostly domestic tourists, along with one Nepali nationalโwhile wounding several others.
Gandhi toured the militaryโs primary healthcare facility inside the Badamibagh Army Headquarters in Srinagar to check on the condition of those recovering from injuries sustained during the incident.
Later, the Congress leader held a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhavan. Accompanying him were Congress Parliamentarian KC Venugopal, state legislators Ghulam Ahmad Mir and Tariq Hameed Karra, and Upper House member Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain. The discussions revolved around the gravity of the violent attack and the broader implications for regional harmony and security.
Taking to social media platform X, Lieutenant Governor Sinha shared details of the interaction, writing: โHeld deliberations with Shri Rahul Gandhi, Shri KC Venugopal, Shri Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Shri Tariq Hameed Karra, and Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain. Spoke at length on the appalling terrorist incident in Pahalgam.โ
In addition to official engagements, Gandhi visited Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his Srinagar residence. He also met a civilian survivor recuperating at a city hospital.
Speaking to the media, Gandhi condemned the attack as an effort to create communal fault lines. โThis has been a heartbreaking episode. I came here to understand the ground realities and offer help. Every segment of J&K society has unequivocally denounced this brutality and expressed full solidarity with the country,โ he said. โI met a brave soul who survived this ordeal. I extend heartfelt condolences to families who lost their loved ones. India stands shoulder to shoulder in this time of pain. We also held discussions with government officials yesterday.โ
He stressed that the unified opposition had strongly denounced the carnage and expressed willingness to cooperate with any measures the government might pursue.
โThis violent act was orchestrated to fracture our unity. At such a time, national cohesion becomes essential to thwart the objective of the attackers,โ he asserted.
Gandhi also expressed dismay over reports of backlash against Kashmiris in other states, calling it an unfortunate fallout.
โIt is deeply disappointing to witness fellow citizens from Kashmir being targeted elsewhere in the country. We must all rise together, stand shoulder to shoulder, and crush this ugly phenomenon of terrorism. I met both the Chief Minister and the Lieutenant Governor, who updated me on the unfolding situation. I reassured them that both I and my party are prepared to extend full cooperation.โ
Rahul Gandhiโs visit came a day after the central government convened an all-party conference in Delhi to assess the deteriorating security climate and chart a cohesive national strategy in response.
Emerging from the meeting, Gandhi remarked, โAll political factions unanimously condemned the Pahalgam terror strike. The opposition has pledged unconditional support to the government for any decisive steps it takes.โ
