Update:
Jammu: After the Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met the families who were killed in ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Balakote on Independence Day, he said the Centre should meet their demands including those on rehabilitation, compensation and insurance cover.
“I have come all the way here to share your pain and grief of losing your near ones,” Gandhi told Azim, whose brother Amin was killed and another sibling Ramiz injured in the shelling. Gandhi, was accompanied by party leader Ambika Soni and Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Gulam Ahmed Mir.
“People here are very worried, very scared…. These are valid demands. I think the government of India should look into it, do something about it,” Gandhi said. “They say when someone is killed in terror attack, they get more compensation. Those killed by Pakistani shells get less compensation. They said the compensation should be same,” said the Congress leader who will also visit Kashmir and Ladakh regions.
Earlier Report:
New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi began a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday and is expected to meet people living in areas affected by incessant firing and shelling by Pakistani forces in recent weeks. He will travel to all three regions of the state – Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. His first touchdown will be Balakote area in Poonch district, where six people were killed and dozens wounded in Pakistan firing on August 15. He will also meet representatives of different sections of society and address a Panchayat conference.
On Thursday, he will go to Kashmir Valley, where he is expected to visit Sopore and Pampore areas. Sopore, the hometown of Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was in the news recently after suspected militants killed several people associated with the telecom business. The attacks forced many to close down their operations.
Gandhi will also meet party workers and try to quell rebellion and infighting in the party ranks. Last month, the party suspended former Congress Working Committee member Gulchain Singh Charak and former ministers Abdul Ghani Vakil and Prem Sagar Aziz from the primary membership of the Congress for indulging in “anti-party” activities after the party’s central leadership, of which he is a part, appointed former minister Ghulam Ahmed Mir as the head of the state unit early this year.
Some news channels have called it a photo op for the Gandhi scion that will demoralize the armed forces who are engaged in a bitter war of attrition on a daily basis with their Pak counter parts.
