Rahul Gandhi slams Pakistan, says Kashmir India’s internal issue
Tharoor backs Congress leader, asks Pakistan not to draw any comfort from Congress stand
New Delhi: Days after a delegation of Opposition leaders was sent back to Delhi after being stopped from entering Srinagar, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday supported the government’s stand that Kashmir was India’s internal issue.
The Congress MP, who is currently in his parliamentary constituency of Wayanad in Kerala, in a series of tweets, said: “I disagree with this government on many issues. But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India’s internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it.”
“There is violence in Jammu and 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,” he added.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who has backed several party leaders’ stand of not demonising Prime Minister Narendra Modi on every issue, said that the Congress has insisted all along that Kashmir is an integral part of India and the party is only opposed to the manner in which Article 370 was abrogated.
He also asked Pakistan not to draw any comfort from the Congress’ stand.
“Spot on, Chief! This is what Congress has insisted all along: J&K is an integral part of India; we opposed the manner in which Article 370 was abrogated because the way it was done assaulted our Constitution and democratic values. No reason for Pakistan to draw any comfort from our stand,” Tharoor tweeted.
Before Gandhi, several senior party leaders such as Jyotiraditya Scindia, Janaradan Dwivedi, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, his son Deepender Hooda, UP MLA Aditi Singh, Milind Deora, Anil Shastri and others have spoken in favour of the government’s decision to revoke Article 370.
The Congress also on Wednesday slammed Pakistan for its “diabolical deception” over Kashmir saying Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and will remain an integral part of India.
In a statement, party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Congress had noticed reports about the Pakistani government having allegedly moved a petition on Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations that includes the name of former party president Rahul Gandhi.
“Rahul Gandhi has been dragged to justify the pack of lies and deliberate misinformation being spread by Pakistan. Let no one in the world be in doubt that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain an integral part of India. No amount of diabolical deception by Pakistan shall change this irrevocable truth,” Surjewala said.