Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday met families affected by the recent cross-border shelling by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. Describing the incident as a “big tragedy,” Gandhi pledged to raise the issue at the national level.
Between May 7 and May 10, intense shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) claimed 28 lives across Jammu and Kashmir, including 13 in Poonch alone. Over 70 others were injured and thousands were displaced, forced to take shelter in government relief camps. The shelling followed India’s targeted strikes on terror hubs under Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
Rahul Gandhi spent over an hour in Poonch town, visiting damaged homes and interacting with grieving families. “Many civilians have been directly targeted. I spoke with affected families, and they want their pain and problems heard at the national level—which I will ensure,” he said.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi wrote: “Damaged houses, scattered belongings, moist eyes and painful stories of losing loved ones—these patriotic families bear the biggest burden of war with courage and dignity. Salute to their courage.”
This marks Gandhi’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir in the past month. He had earlier met victims of the Pahalgam terror attack in Srinagar and held discussions with local leaders, including the Lieutenant Governor.
Accompanied by senior Congress leaders, including J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra and AICC general secretary G A Mir, Gandhi also visited a gurdwara, temple, madrassa, and Christian missionary school impacted by the shelling.