Rahul Gandhi, other opposition leaders to visit Jammu and Kashmir today

Apart from Rahul, Congress' senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma will visit Kashmir. Representatives from CPI-M, CPI, DMK, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal will also visit the newly-formed Union Territory.

However, Jammu and Kashmir's Department of Information and Public Relations accused the battery of political leaders of trying to disturb the valley.

The department said in its Twitter handle, "At a time when the government is trying to protect the people of Jammu & Kashmir 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, attempts should not be made by senior political leaders to disturb the gradual restoration of normal life. Political leaders are requested to cooperate and not visit Srinagar as they would be putting other people to inconvenience."

It added, "They would also be violating restrictions that are still there in many areas. Senior leaders should understand that top priority would be given to maintaining peace, order and preventing loss of human lives."

Satya Pal Malik's invitation to Rahul Gandhi

Rahul is paying a visit to Jammu and Kashmir days after Governor Satya Pal Malik had said he would send an aircraft for the former Congress president to visit the Union Territory and get an idea of the ground reality. Of course, Malik had claimed peace in the valley, contradicting Rahul's viewpoint.

However, Malik had asked Rahul to visit alone and not with a delegation. The Wayanad MP had then agreed to visit alone which is certainly not happening on Saturday.

Opposition leaders' failed attempts

This is not the first time opposition leaders are trying to visit Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre withdrew the special status.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja had earlier tried to enter Jammu and Kashmir but were barred from stepping outside of the Srinagar Airport.

In the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 and a consequent provisional lockdown to prevent violence, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has appealed all to not believe in rumours spread by few media that violence erupted in the state while categorically rubbishing foreign media reports of a police firing. Not a single bullet was fired in the last six days, said the top police officials in Kashmir on Sunday.

Image Credit: Rahul Gandhi Facebook