CWC, Rahul ask govt to be transparent in Kashmir issue

The meeting of Congress Working Committee to elect is new chief was stopped midway after “reports of violence” came in about Jammu and Kashmir. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded that the Union government come clean on what is happening in the Valley.

Rahul, who had recused himself from the deliberations to elect the new chief, was called back in the middle of the meeting.

“I was called just now by the Working Committee because reports come in which said things in Jammu and Kashmir are going very wrong. There are reports of violence, there are reports of people dying in Jammu and Kashmir. So we stopped the deliberations on Congress President issue and we had a presentation on what was going on in Jammu and Kashmir,” Rahul said.

He said it was very important for the central government and the Prime Minister to be transparent on exactly what was happening in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

“We are extremely concerned about the reports that are coming and the government needs to assuage the country and tell the country exactly what is happening and be completely transparent,” he said.

CWC resolution

Meanwhile, the Congress Working Committee voiced concern over the situation in Jammu & Kashmir and demanded that the Modi government send a delegation of opposition leaders to assess the situation there.

“The CWC calls upon the Government to act in a transparent fashion and forthwith permit a delegation of opposition parties in J&K,” the CWC resolution said.

“The Congress Working Committee expressed serious concern over the situation in J&K including reports of clampdown and news blackout,” it added.

It also expressed serious concern about arrest and detention of entire political leadership in J&K.

However, the CWC made no reference to “reports of violence” claimed by outgoing Congress President Rahul Gandhi.