SRINAGAR, April 25, 2025 – Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Shri Rahul Gandhi, met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Shri Omar Abdullah at the latter’s official residence in Srinagar today. The meeting, which took place amidst heightened security concerns following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, focused on critical issues facing the Union Territory, including governance, security, and the restoration of statehood.
Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Srinagar earlier in the day, also visited the Army’s Base Hospital in Badamibagh Cantonment to meet victims injured in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, at Baisaran meadow. The Congress leader’s meeting with CM Abdullah underscores the ongoing collaboration between the Congress and the National Conference , allies in the INDIA bloc, to address Jammu and Kashmir’s challenges.
Sources indicate that the leaders discussed the security situation, the need for swift justice for the victims of the Pahalgam attack, and strategies to strengthen governance in the Union Territory. Rahul Gandhi reiterated Congress’s demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, a key issue raised during Omar Abdullah’s swearing-in as Chief Minister on October 16, 2024. The meeting also touched upon the need for inclusive development and addressing regional disparities between Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
The Congress-NC alliance, which secured 48 seats in the recent Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, has been vocal about restoring statehood, revoked in 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370. While Congress chose not to join the Abdullah-led cabinet, it continues to support the NC government from outside, as reaffirmed during the meeting.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi met Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhavan, accompanied by Congress MPs Shri KC Venugopal, Shri Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Shri Tariq Hameed Karra, and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, to discuss the Pahalgam attack and its implications. The Opposition leader’s visit signals a unified approach to tackling terrorism and ensuring stability in the region.