Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi will reach Srinagar for two days this evening. This is Rahul Gandhi’s first visit to Srinagar after the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Although earlier in August 2019, two weeks after the abrogation of 370, Rahul Gandhi had reached Srinagar with the opposition delegation to take stock of the situation, but then the administration had returned all the opposition leaders from the airport itself.
Late in the evening, Rahul will attend the reception of the son and daughter-in-law of Jammu and Kashmir Congress state president Ghulam Ahmed Mir. On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi will inaugurate the new office of Jammu and Kashmir Congress in the capital Srinagar. Rahul will first visit the Kheer Bhavani temple at 9 am on Tuesday. Kheer Bhavani Temple is located in Ganderbal, an hour away from Srinagar.
After this, Rahul Gandhi will go to Hazrat Bal Masjid in Srinagar. Both are big religious places. There is a possibility that Rahul can also visit Gurdwara Chhathi Padshahi and the tomb of Saint Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom. After offering prayers at religious places, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi will inaugurate the new office of Jammu and Kashmir Congress at around 12 noon and after this he will hold a meeting with party leaders and workers.
Rahul can also talk to the media. Rahul Gandhi will return to Delhi late in the evening. This visit of Rahul Gandhi is important because after the abrogation of 370, he will first enter inside Srinagar. The removal of Article 370 by the Modi government was termed as unconstitutional by the Congress. The Congress has been demanding statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. However, the stand of the Congress regarding the 370 restoration is not clear.
Recently, the statement of senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh had come to the fore that after coming back to power at the Center, the Congress may consider reinstating 370. However, the Congress officially distanced itself from Digvijay Singh’s statement. In such a situation, during Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Srinagar, the eyes will be on what is Rahul’s statement regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir two years after the abrogation of Article 370 and most importantly, what is Rahul Gandhi’s stand regarding the restoration of 370.
On 5 August 2019, the Modi government, abolishing Article 370 with special provisions for Jammu and Kashmir, divided the state of Jammu and Kashmir and formed two union territories as Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.