Surinder Sharma
Poonch: On Saturday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, visited the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir. He met with the families of those killed in Pakistani shelling and listened to their grief and hardships. In addition, he heard from other affected residents who have suffered due to the ongoing violence.
Posting on X, Rahul Gandhi stated, “Today in Poonch, I met families who lost loved ones in Pakistani shelling. Broken homes, scattered belongings, teary eyes, and painful stories of loss resonate in every corner — these patriotic families bear the greatest burden of war with courage and dignity. I salute their resilience. I stand firmly with the affected families and will raise their demands and issues at the national level.”
This visit marks Rahul Gandhi’s second trip to Jammu and Kashmir since the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22; he had previously visited Srinagar on April 25. The district of Poonch has suffered the most casualties and damage from the Pakistani shelling, with over 20 people killed.
During his one-day visit, Rahul Gandhi arrived in Jammu around 9 a.m. on Saturday and proceeded directly to Poonch via Chappar. Alongside him were the party’s acting president Raman Bhalla and youth leader Neeraj Kundan. Rahul Gandhi is expected to stay in Poonch for about three hours.
In anticipation of his visit, party MP and Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Dr. Syed Naseer Ahmed and state president Tariq Hameed Kara had already reached Poonch. They held meetings with senior party leaders to prepare for the visit.
Rahul Gandhi will be briefed on the situation by the state leadership, including discussions on issues such as construction and repair of bunkers in border areas and demands for a comprehensive relief package for those affected. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to return to Delhi by Saturday evening.