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Rahul trying to create unrest in J&K: Malik

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 8/14/2019 11:27:02 AM

`Never invited him with so many pre-conditions’

SRINAGAR, Aug 13: Governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for putting “pre-conditions” for a visit to the state and alleged he was trying to “create unrest” by seeking to bring a delegation of opposition leaders.
On the Congress leader's comments on violence in Kashmir, Malik said, “Rahul Gandhi is responding to fake news possibly spread from across the border about the situation in Kashmir, which is peaceful with negligible incidents.”
He can check for himself from various Indian channels that have reported the correct position in the Kashmir Valley, the Governor said. “He (Gandhi) can also check the detailed submissions made by the government in the Supreme Court today which heard a case on this matter and left it to government," Malik was quoted saying in a clarification issued by Raj Bhawan said.
Following remarks by Gandhi on that there have been reports of violence in Kashmir, Malik on Monday had said he would send him an aircraft to visit the Valley and observe the ground situation. “Gandhi has put forth many conditions for the visit, including meeting mainstream leaders under detention,” the Governor said in a statement.
Malik said he had never invited the Congress leader with “so many pre-conditions” and referred the matter to the local police and administration for further examination. “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 said in the statement.
On Tuesday, Gandhi accepted Malik's 'invitation' to visit the state but said he didn't need an aircraft and that he and other opposition leaders would visit. The Congress leader in a tweet also urged the Governor to allow them the freedom to meet the people and soldiers.
Responding to this, the Governor's office had issued this statement regarding Rahul Gandhi's allegation that unrest had been reported in parts of Jammu and Kashmir after the government abrogated Article 370.
The statement added that Rahul Gandhi should see the "correct position" on the situation in Kashmir as reported by Indian news channels or through the submissions made by the government in the Supreme Court. “He can check for himself from various Indian channels which have reported the correct position in the Kashmir Valley,” the spokesperson also said.
The Indian government has categorically denied reports published by some foreign media that have claimed mass unrest in the Valley post the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Raj Bhawan's statement comes after some to and fro-ing between Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik and Rahul Gandhi on the political situation in Kashmir. On August 11, Rahul Gandhi said that some reports had come in from Jammu and Kashmir about the violence there. The Congress leader said, "People were dying in the state and the situation was not normal as claimed by the government."
Dismissing Rahul Gandhi's claims, Governor Satya Pal Malik had said that Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed of his statements. Malik had also invited Gandhi to visit Kashmir and see the ground reality for himself.
“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.
“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. As he has put forth many conditions for J&K, the Governor is referring the case to the local police and administration to examine the request further,” the statement said.