Accept invite to visit J&K without any conditions, when can I come, asks Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (August 14) repeated his demand to visit Jammu and Kashmir and asked Governor Satya Pal Malik when he could come.

Dear Maalik ji,

I saw your feeble reply to my tweet.

I accept your invitation to visit Jammu & Kashmir and meet the people, with no conditions attached.

When can I come?

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 14, 2019

He said he had accepted Malik’s invitation to visit J&K and meet people without any conditions and termed the governors reply “feeble”. “Dear Maalik (sic) ji, I saw your feeble reply to my tweet. “I accept your invitation to visit Jammu & Kashmir and meet the people, with no conditions attached. When can I come?” he said.

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

On Tuesday, Malik had lashed out at Gandhi for putting “pre-conditions” for a visit to Kashmir Valley and alleged he was trying to “create unrest” by seeking to bring a delegation of opposition leaders.

Following remarks by Gandhi that there have been reports of violence in Kashmir, Malik had said on Monday he will send him an aircraft to visit the Valley and observe the ground situation.

Also read: Govt says unprovoked stone-pelting in Kashmir, but forces didn’t retaliate

Gandhi has put forth many conditions for the visit, including meeting mainstream leaders under detention, the governor said in a statement. Hitting back at the governor for “taking a U-turn” on his offer, the Congress said he should stand by his word.

Invitation to Rahul was never sincere: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday hit out at Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, saying his invitation to Rahul Gandhi to visit the state was a “tool of propaganda” and never sincere. He said alleging that Rahul Gandhi has put conditions is rubbish, as he only asked for freedom to meet everyone, including soldiers.

“J&K Governors invitation to Rahul Gandhi was never a sincere invitation. It was a tool of propaganda.To say that Rahul Gandhi put conditions is rubbish. Rahul Gandhi asked for freedom to meet everyone, including soldiers. How is that putting conditions?,” he asked on Twitter. “Can a visitor not ask for freedom to meet different sections of the people and to enquire about the welfare of the soldiers?,” he further asked.