Days after visiting Poonch, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to “come up with a concrete and generous relief and rehabilitation package for residents of Poonch and other areas affected by Pakistan shelling during escalated cross-border tensions earlier this month”.
Gandhi visited Poonch on Saturday (May 25) and met victims of Pakistan shelling in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam attack and India’s retaliatory strikes in PoK and Pakistan.
The LoP described the situation in Poonch as a “huge tragedy”. “A lot of people have died and there has been widespread property damage,” he said.
In his letter to the PM on Thursday, Gandhi wrote about the destruction he saw in Poonch. “This sudden and indiscriminate attack has caused massive destruction in the areas. Hundreds of houses, shops, schools and religious places have been badly destroyed. Many victims said that their years of hard work was destroyed in one stroke.”
“The people of Poonch and other border areas have been living in peace and brotherhood for decades. Today when they are going through this deep crisis, it is our duty to understand their pain and provide all possible help to rebuild their lives,” he said.
पुंछ का दर्द वहां जा कर ही महसूस होता है।
टूटे आशियाने, बिखरी जिंदगियां – इस दर्द की गूंज से भी बस एक आवाज़ आती है – हम हिन्दुस्तानी एक हैं।
आग्रह नहीं, सरकार को ज़िम्मेदारी की याद दिला रहा हूं – पाकिस्तान की गोलाबारी से प्रभावित पुंछ और अन्य इलाकों के लिए ठोस, उदार और…
— (@RahulGandhi)
Sharing a video from the visit, Gandhi said on X, “The pain of Poonch can be felt only after going there. Broken homes, shattered lives — even from the echo of this pain, only one voice comes out — we Indians are one.” “I am not requesting, but reminding the government of its responsibility — a concrete, generous and immediate relief and rehabilitation package should be prepared for Poonch and other areas affected by Pakistani shelling. This is not help, it is a duty.”
