New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at Pakistan for instigating violence in Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that all matters related to the region are India’s internal issues with no room for Pakistan’s interference.
Gandhi, in a series of tweets, said he disagrees with the government on many issues but made it clear that aspects related to Jammu and Kashmir are internal for New Delhi.
“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,” Rahul said in a series of tweets.
“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,” Gandhi wrote in another tweet.
This comes after Pakistani Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari, on Tuesday said she has a written a letter to 18 UN Special Procedures mandate on Kashmir issue. In her letter, Mazari has claimed that Rahul Gandhi has noted that people are dying in Jammu Kashmir.
Mazari in her letter, which is also posted on her Twitter, to the UN body quoted Gandhi. ” …acts of violence have even been acknowledged by mainstream politicians, such as the Leader of the Congress Party, Mr. Rahul Gandhi who has noted, “people dying” in Jammu and Kashmir, in light of events “going very wrong there”,” she wrote.
Last week, Gandhi was sent back from Srinagar airport when he reached there along with a delegation of opposition leaders to take stock of the situation after the abrogation of article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
The center revoked Article 370 of the Constitution earlier in August and reorganized the region into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Communication services were suspended post the move and curbs were placed on civilian movement with heavy security manning every nook and corner.
While many parties backed the center on the move, Congress opposed it tooth and nail, barring some leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Bhupinder Singh Hooda who voiced support for the decision.
At present, relaxations have been provided bringing relief to residents. Phone services and the internet have been restored partially and life in the region is limping back to normalcy with reopening of schools and other institutions.
Pakistan has made desperate attempts to internationalize the issue but ended up being isolated at every forum with nations acknowledging Jammu and Kashmir to be New Delhi’s internal matter.