Criticising Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik’s invitation to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Jammu and Kashmir, the Opposition asked him to release all the political leaders who are under detention in the State.

The Left parties also voiced concern over the clampdown in the State.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “A delegation of opposition leaders and 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 and meet the people, mainstream leaders and our soldiers who are stationed there.”

‘Invitation to Rahul’

Malik said in Jammu that he has invited Rahul Gandhi to Kashmir. “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 taking objection to Gandhi’s recent comments expressing concern about reports of violence in the State.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Anand Sharma, Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, said the Congress is concerned over the clampdown and news blackout in the State, and added that reports of excesses are rampant and people are not able to reach out to their families.

Sharma said the Centre should avoid creating chances of aspersions being cast on the Constitution of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. “We urge the Centre and the administration of J&K to lift the curbs, release detained leaders, and allow leaders of Opposition parties to visit the Valley and meet people,” Sharma said. “It’s high time that an all-party meeting is held and the PM and the Home Minister take the leaders of national parties into confidence,” he added.

He reminded the BJP that the leaders who are in detention were partners of the BJP in the past. “They respect the Constitution. They must be freed from detention,” he said. Sharma urged the Centre to give a message that the present government’s commitment to fundamental rights is honest and firm. “Let an all-party delegation go there with the media,” Sharma said.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the government has refused to share any information about political leaders, whether about their whereabouts or the provisions of law under which the action has been imposed on them. “If former CMs are treated like this, imagine the plight of others,” he said.

CPI General Secretary D Raja said in a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah said that some students from J&Kammu and Kashmir are unable to contact their parents and relatives in the Valley and are worried.

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