Opp, press got taste of ‘brute force’ unleashed on people in J&K: Rahul

Says Opp. leaders got a taste of draconian administration during visit to Srinagar

New Delhi, Aug. 25: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said leaders of the Opposition and the press got a taste of the “draconian administration” and “brute force” unleashed on the people of Jammu and Kashmir when they tried to visit Srinagar.

A delegation of opposition leaders, including Mr Gandhi, which wanted to visit Kashmir Valley to take stock of the situation there after the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370, was not allowed to leave Srinagar airport on Saturday by the state administration and had to return to the national capital.

“It’s been 20 days since the people of Jammu and Kashmir had their freedom and civil liberties curtailed,” Mr Gandhi said in a tweet.

“Leaders of the Opposition and the press got a taste of the draconian administration and brute force unleashed on the people of J&K when we tried to visit Srinagar yesterday,” he said. The former Congress president also posted a video of Saturday’s events, showing authorities reading out an order to the opposition leaders and Mr Gandhi addressing the media.

◗ Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury , Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Sharad Yadav (LJD) and D. Raja (CPI) accompanied Gandhi on Saturday.

In the video, Mr Gandhi is seen speaking to the media and alleging that media persons accompanying the delegation were mishandled and beaten up.

He also said it is clear that things are “not normal” in J&K. During Saturday’s attempt to visit the Valley, Mr Gandhi was accompanied by leaders of CPI(M), CPI, DMK, NCP, JD(S), RJD, LJD and TMC.

The leaders included Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and KC Venugopal, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury , Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Sharad Yadav (LJD), Dinesh Trivedi (TMC), D Raja (CPI), Majeed Menon (NCP), Manoj Jha (RJD) and D Kupendra Reddy JD(S). —PTI