Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Kashmir is raising serious doubts about whether he is reinforcing Pakistan’s global narrative, that the attacks originated in India and led to destruction and loss of life. His reluctance to visit the homes of the 26 tourists, mostly Hindus who were killed in Pahalgam further raises suspicion about the real intent behind his exclusive visit to Kashmir. The supposed purity of purpose in choosing only Kashmir as his destination has invited scepticism regarding his motivations.
India’s Operation Sindoor had decisively weakened Pakistan’s military infrastructure, earning global recognition for India’s defence prowess. It not only exposed the inefficacy of Chinese-made defence systems and the vulnerabilities of the Pakistani army but also led to a significant fall in defence-related stocks in both Pakistan and China and gains for India. Moreover, India made it clear to the world that all major Pakistani attacks were successfully repelled, with no casualties on the Indian side, except for those resulting from border shelling.
However, during his visit, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have been capturing and sharing images of minor structural damages, destroyed homes, and scattered objects, due to Pakistani attacks, across social media. These actions suggest an attempt to build a narrative contrary to India’s official stance, raising questions about whether he is compiling evidence of damage to schools in Poonch and other locations for Pakistan’s benefit.
Since the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Pakistan has been using Rahul Gandhi’s and the Congress party’s questions and social media activities to bolster its claims. The Pakistani government is leveraging Rahul’s statements and tweets to pacify its domestic audience, which is reeling under the impact of India’s military retaliation under Operation Sindoor. After his visit to Poonch, he posted on Facebook:
“Today, went to temple, Gurudwara and Madrasa affected by Pakistani attacks in Poonch”, accompanied by photos and videos of destroyed buildings. These posts have further amplified Pakistan’s narrative, making it clear that his visit and statements are inadvertently or perhaps deliberately, benefiting Pakistan.
Congress criticises Modi more than Pakistan, ignores boycott Turkey, faces Tharoor’s rebuke
Since the Pahalgam terror attack, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have consistently targeted the Modi government more than they have criticised Pakistan. They have failed to denounce Turkey, a known ally of Pakistan. Even when Indian citizens united under the Boycott Turkey campaign, the Congress ignores the demand to close its office in Istanbul and withdraw its head Mohammad Yusuf Khan. Furthermore, when the Indian government decided to send a mission team to brief the world on Operation Sindoor and expose Pakistani terrorism, the Congress party selected individuals widely considered unfit for such a critical task.
Adding to the controversy, just before his visit to Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi wrote on Facebook: “Modi ji, stop giving hollow speech”, and posed three questions:
“Why did you trust Pakistan on terrorism?”, “Why did you sacrifice the interests of India by bowing down before Trump?”, “Why does your blood hot just in front of cameras?” His remarks were not only dismissed by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, but Tharoor also emphasised that national interest must take precedence over party politics. This public rebuke was a significant blow to Rahul Gandhi and his divisive and espionage politics.
In light of these developments, the Congress party’s and Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Kashmir, at a time when the nation was confronting external aggression, appears shrouded in mystery and deeply troubling.
