Rahul, Oppn leaders to fly to Srinagar on Saturday

Jammu and Kashmir state administration has asked them not to embark on a visit and warned them they would be violating restrictions if they do so.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and around 10 other Opposition leaders will fly to Srinagar on Saturday morning in an attempt to visit Jammu and Kashmir but the state administration asked them not to embark on a visit and warned them they would be violating restrictions if they do so.

Along with Rahul, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, his CPI counterpart D Raja and senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma among others are scheduled to visit the state to have first-hand knowledge of the situation in the state.

NCP's Majid Memon, Trinamool Congress' Dinesh Trivedi, RJD's Manoj Jha, National Conference's Hasnain Masoodi and DMK's Tiruchi Siva will also be flying to Srinagar along with Rahul to the state.

Soon after Opposition leaders' plan was out, the state's Department of Information and Public Relations tweeted asking them not to visit the state where "attempts should not be made by senior political leaders to disturb the gradual restoration of normal life", as the government was "trying to protect the people" from the threat of cross border terrorism and attacks by militants and separatists and "gradually trying to restore public order by controlling miscreants and mischief mongers".

The “senior leaders” would "also be violating restrictions that are still there in many areas" and that they should understand that top priority would be given to maintaining peace, order and preventing loss of human lives.

Sources said the decision to fly to Srinagar was taken at a meeting attended by senior Opposition leaders Ahmed Patel, Azad, Sharma, Yechury and Mukul Wasnik among others earlier in the day.

A senior Opposition leader said the follow-up options were discussed during Thursday's protest organised by DMK. One option discussed was expanding their Thursday protest to other state capitals, with demonstrations demanding the release of the detained leaders. However, they chose to fly to Srinagar, as Governor Satyapal Malik had invited Rahul to visit Srinagar to clear the latter's misconception.