Rahul visits Valley, says he understands "pain" of Kashmiris

Srinagar, Sep 26 (PTI) On a visit to the Valley, in the
north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi Monday
struck an emotional chord with Kashmir University students,
saying he understands the "pain" of Kashmiris as he was a
Kashmiri himself.
Addressing around 1,000 students at the University's
convention centre, the 41-year-old All India Congress
Committee (AICC) General Secretary said he also understood the
language of violence as his family had been a victim of
violence.
"I am a Kashmiri as a lot of you people must be aware.
So the pain and the suffering of this place is my suffering as
well, " Gandhi said, evoking applause from the students who
had gathered for an interaction with him.
After his introduction by Kashmir University Vice
Chancellor Talat Ahmed, Gandhi gave his own introduction and
said his approach was to connect with the youth.
"When I was 14, I was sitting in class inattentive when
a lady walked to be and said there was a call. I received the
call and told that my grandmother (Indira Gandhi) had been
shot dead. Few years later my father (Rajiv Gandhi) was also
killed.
"People who have suffered because of violence can
understand the pain of violence," he said.
The students posed many questions about the level
of violence in the Valley to which Gandhi gave a patient
hearing.
Students spoke about the lack of job facilities and
also virtual absence of multi-nationals in the state.
Gandhi said the MNCs had some minimum basic requirements
which required to be fulfilled but as far as other business
houses are concerned, there was a need for having a congenial
atmosphere for their functioning.
"I will send a delegation of young businessman. My
responsibility is to send them to you and your responsibility
is to convince them how they could set up their business in
the valley."
After the interaction, a group of engineering students
said it was a "good experience" talking to Rahul.
"He listened to us. There was nothing like politics
involved in it, we talked about education and jobs," a student
said.
Another group of students which included five boys and
three girls said they were happy after meeting Rahul.
"No politics was discussed. He asked me to come to Delhi
and meet him in person," another student said.
Rahul, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir,
reached the campus after addressing a public meeting at Kargil
district of Ladakh division.
Most of the students said Rahul spoke about jobs, sports
facilities, issuance of passports and corporate sector.
Rahul was asked why no FIRs were filed against those
responsible for the deaths during last year's summer unrest to
which he answered "I cannot talk about politics".
No mediapersons were allowed inside the convocation hall
where the meeting took place.
Several sarpanches and panches, owing allegiance to the
Congress, met the young leader and sought his intervention in
ensuring that the party lead the coalition government in the
state in the next three years.
The NC-Congress coalition government will complete its
three-year in January 2012. The tenure of the state government
is six years in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We are being ignored and humiliated by our coalition
partner. We want our three years (at Chief Ministership),"
Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, a panch from Noorabad in south Kashmir,
told Rahul.
Another panch Inayatullah alleged attempts were made to
sabotage their interactive session with the Congress leader as
the Rural Development Department had convened a meeting of the
newly-elected representatives at the block-level.
"We refused to attend the meeting because we want to
convey our feelings and grievances to the party high command,"
Inayatullah said.
The panches also demanded more powers and funds for the
rural bodies to ensure development of these areas.
Rahul said he would convey their feelings to the party
high command.
Besides interacting with the panches and sarpanches,
he also held a close-door interaction with a group of youth
where the issue of rotational Chief Ministership was also
raised.
The AICC General Secretary refused to take any question
from the media but made a statement about his engagements
during the day.
"I have come to Kashmir to launch the youth Congress
membership drive and to bring the youth into the system. I had
a very nice interaction with students at Kashmir University. I
also interacted with panches and sarpanches and the youth
here. I am proud of what I heard during the interactions," he
said.
Earlier, Gandhi paid obeisance at the holy Hazratbal
shrine on the banks of Dal lake and interacted with locals and
tourists.