Kashmir is India's internal issue: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today said Kashmir is India's internal issue and the party asserted that violence in Jammu and Kashmir is instigated by Pakistan.

In a tweet, Rahul, former President of the party, said "I disagree with this government on many issues. But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India's internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it."

His comments assume significance because they came after his stringent attack on Narendra Modi government's handling of Jammu and Kashmir after he was stopped from visiting Srinagar on Saturday last, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The Congress separately came out with a statement signed by its chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala today saying "there is violence in Jammu and Kashmir. There is violence because it is instigated and supported by Pakistan which is known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world."

The Congress "has noticed reports citing an alleged petition moved by Pakistani government to United Nations on Jammu & Kashmir, wherein name of Shri Rahul Gandhi has been mischievously dragged to justify the pack of lies and deliberate misinformation being spread by Pakistan.

"Let no one in the world be in doubt that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain an integral part of India. No amount of diabolical deception by Pakistan shall change this irrevocable truth. Instead, Pakistan should answer to the world about unpardonable and inhumane violations of human rights in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir-Gilgit-Hunza-Baltistan. Pakistan also owes an explanation for designed persecution of over 70 million Mohajirs and killing of over 25,000 by Pakistani forces," Surjewala said.

"Not only this, human rights violations in Balochistan, including thousands, who have gone missing as also mass graves being uncovered by different agencies have never been answered. The entire world witnessed the horrific murder of 128 innocents on 13th July, 2018 during an election rally by Balochistan Awami Movement. The gross abuse of human rights of Pashtun people in the tribal regions by Pakistani Army as also the systematic persecution and prosecution of Ahmadiyya Religious community is yet to be answered by Pakistan," he said in the statement.

Surjewala said "almost every terrorist organisation thrives in Pakistan under political and military patronage – be it Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-eMuhammad, Hizbul Mujahedeen, al-Queda or Taliban and its multiple offshoots."

We urge that Pakistan should answer these issues, both internally to its people as also to international community, instead of raising the fake Kashmir bogey

On Saturday last, Rahul Gandhi had led a delegation of opposition leaders but were sent back from Srinagar airport. The delegation had said it wanted to assess the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been under a security lockdown since August 4 to head off any trouble over the government's decision to end its special status and split it into two federally-ruled territories