Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached Srinagar on Monday, 9 August, for a two-day visit to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. He will be inaugurating the Congress headquarters in the UT and will interact with party workers and leaders during the visit.
This is his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.
Rahul Gandhi welcomed at Srinagar airport.
(Photo: Assessed by The Quint)
Earlier, J&K Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir had reportedly said, “Gandhi had already planned a four-day tour to J&K but the Parliament session ensued and so he is now visiting Kashmir... He will be in Kashmir on 9 and 10 August.”
Mir added that Gandhi will also visit Jammu for two to three days, once the Monsoon session is over.
Rahul Gandhi welcomed at Srinagar airport.
(Photo: Assessed by The Quint)
According to Congress sources cited by The Times of India, Gandhi is set to inaugurate the party headquarters on 10 August.
Rahul Gandhi welcomed at Srinagar airport.
(Photo: Assessed by The Quint)
On 5 August 2019, Articles 370 and 35(A) that gave the erstwhile state its special status and the mandate to define its domicile rule were revoked.
Two years later, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on 28 July 2021, addressed the Rajya Sabha and said that Jammu and Kashmir will be granted statehood once "normalcy is restored" in the region.
Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha was reported as saying that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured of granting statehood to the Union Territory at an appropriate time.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times and The Times of India)
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