Politicians make beeline for martyrs' homes

Although all of them maintain on record that they do not want to play politics over the Pulwama tragedy, leaders of almost all the major political players in Uttar Pradesh have been making a beeline at the houses of the martyred CRPF jawans.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have all met the families of the soldiers.

While Adityanath visited the homes in Gonda and Maharajganj districts, Rahul and Priyanka on Wednesday paid a surprise visit to the homes in Shamli and Meerut districts.

After meeting the families of Amit Kumar and Pradeep, the Gandhi scions offered floral tribute to them.

"I understand your pain and agony as I too have lost my father to terrorism," Rahul told the grieving family of Amit Kumar. He also assured all help to the martyrs' families.

Priyanka also plans to meet the families of other martyrs during her forthcoming visit to eastern Uttar Pradesh districts, according to the Congress sources here.

The Congress president declined to make any political comments to the waiting reporters saying that he had come to share their the families' grief.

According to sources, the BJP plans to take the families of some of the martyrs to the chief minister's residence for a meeting with Adityanath in the next few days.

The BJP had directed its legislators and ministers to be present at the cremation of the martyrs and visit their families later.