Ensure freedom to meet people: Rahul Gandhi slams J&K Governor Malik

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (August 13) slammed Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik and said that he, along with a delegation of opposition leaders, will take up his ‘gracious invitation’ of flying to the state, to take stock of the situation, provided they are given the freedom to do so.

Malik, on Monday, took a jibe at the Congress leader for his remarks that there have been reports of violence in Kashmir, saying he will send him an aircraft to visit the valley and observe the ground situation. “I have invited Rahul Gandhi to come here. I will send you a plane, to observe (the situation) and then speak up. You are a responsible person and you should not speak like this,” Malik said.

Gandhi replied to the tweet said, “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 and meet the people, mainstream leaders and our soldiers stationed over there.”

An unprecedented lockdown is keeping people in Kashmir indoors for a ninth day on Tuesday after the government announced it was revoking Kashmir’s special constitutional status and downgrading its statehood.