The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday said it would get in touch with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his request to visit the proposed Union Territory.
Governor Satya Pal Malik has already referred the matter to the local administration, an official spokesman said. “The administration will get in touch with the MP at a convenient time,” the official said.
He said Mr. Gandhi had taken four days to respond on the issue.
“At present, the entire State administration is preoccupied with making arrangements for the celebration of Independence Day,” the spokesman added.
Mr. Gandhi, in response to a statement made by the Governor, on Tuesday had tweeted his desire to visit Jammu and Kashmir.
On Wednesday, he again asked the Governor when he can visit J&K.
“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,” Mr. Gandhi tweeted and played on the Governor’s surname. Instead of Malik, the Congress MP spelt it as Maalik , meaning master/owner in Hindi.
His tweet came after the Governor’s office late on Tuesday evening issued a statement accusing Mr. Gandhi of putting too many conditions and trying to create “unrest” over the Centre’s decision to end J&K’s special status.
“Rahul Gandhi is politicising the matter by seeking to bring a delegation of Opposition leaders to create further unrest and problems for the common people. He has put forth many conditions for visiting J&K, including meeting mainstream leaders under detention,” the statement said. “Since the Governor had never invited him with so many preconditions, he has referred the case to the police and administration to examine the request further,” it added.
In the Tuesday tweet, the Congress leader conveyed to Governor Malik that he had accepted the latter's invitation.
“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 & meet the people, mainstream leaders and our soldiers stationed over there,” Mr. Gandhi had tweeted.
The tweet was in response to the Governor's earlier comments where he had slammed the Congress leader for “relying on fake news” while talking about violence in the Kashmir Valley.
“Rahul Gandhi is responding to fake news possibly spread from across the border about the situation in Kashmir, which is peaceful with negligible incidents,” Mr. Malik had said and added that he could send an aircraft to bring Mr. Gandhi to visit the newly created UT.
Last Saturday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had expressed concern over the J&K situation and Mr. Gandhi had urged the Prime Minister to make a statement.
“It is very important that the government of India and the Prime Minister make it very clear and transparent on what exactly is happening in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr. Gandhi had said after the CWC.
( With inputs from
Sandeep Phukan)
