NSA Ajit Doval’s Shopian video: You can bring anyone on your side by giving money, says Ghulam Nabi Azad

A day after National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval interacted with the locals on the streets of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has taken a dig at the government. Azad raised questions over Doval’s video showing him interacting and having lunch with locals in Shopian and said, “paise dekar aap kisiko bhi saath le sakte ho (you can bring anyone on your side by giving money).”

In a confidence-building measure, Doval on Wednesday undertook a whirlwind visit to the militancy-infested south Kashmir and assured the locals that their security is the government’s responsibility. He was also seen eating food on a footpath outside closed shops and talking to locals. He exchanged views with them on the security situation and the government’s decisions.

“Everything will be alright. Your safety and security is our responsibility,” Doval told people in Shopian district.

READ MORE: NSA Ajit Doval takes lunch with locals in Shopian | WATCH

Meanwhile, Azad who is the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad will visit Srinagar today, a report in The Indian Express said. Citing sources, it said that Azad is expected to be sent back from the airport.

The Congress party opposed the Modi government’s resolution to revoke Article 370 and bring a bill to bifurcate the state into two UTs. However, a few Congress leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Jaiveer Shergill, Deepender Hooda and Janardan Dwivedi backed the government’s move.

When Azad was asked about the party leaders supporting the government, he said that those who did not know about the history of the party and Article 370 should study it.

Meanwhile, a PTI report said that over 500 important political workers and leaders, including former CMs Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, have been detained in the state since the government’s decision. It said that about 560 such workers have been lodged in makeshift detention centres in Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre in Srinagar and other such centres in Baramulla and Gurez.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday approved a resolution to scrap Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and passed a bill to split the state into two UTs. The resolution was adopted by Lok Sabha with 351 members voting in its support and 72 against it. The resolution and bill were approved by Rajya Sabha on Monday.