Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) and its cadres have got a boost and new direction from Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's visit to the state last week.
The three-day visit of Rahul Gandhi to J&K has given new direction and energy to the party cadres, JKPCC chief spokesman Ravinder Sharma said here.
Rahul's visit has infused new spirit into party cadres to fight communal and divisive forces and to strengthen secular, democratic and nationalist forces for the unity and integrity of the state and the nation, Sharma said.
His visit to the border belt in Balakote to meet victims of Pakistani shelling has come as a great encouragement to the unarmed soliders on borders, he said.
Gandhi also interacted with Panchayat Raj representatives who have been neglected by the present regime, he said, adding, Gandhi expressed his solidarity with these grass root institutions as he always stood for their empowerment.
Gandhi's visit to Sopore in Baramulla of Kashmir valley was an eye-opener everyone especially for those who proclaim to be 'ultra-nationalists', claiming to be sole protector of national interests, Sharma said.
The thousands of people who assembled to listen to Gandhi is an indication of the acceptance of policies and ideals of secularism and democracy of Congress, he said.
"His meeting with different sections of civil society in Jammu and Kashmir, especially common people in Kashmir, reflect the faith of the vast majority of people in the democratic polity of this country and it is a negation of the vicious propaganda by certain forces," he said.
Targetting rival BJP, Sharma said several veteran leaders of BJP like L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and others feel suffocated because of the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah culture in party controlled by RSS.
"The list of such (suffocated) leaders is increasing day by day, which reflects the working of the BJP," he said.
He also noted that the Modi government's U-turn on Land Bill issue has vindicated Congress's stand that the proposed legislation was not acceptable to farmers and poor.
After repeated ordinances on the matter, the Modi government had to withdraw the move in view of strong movement launched by Congress especially the pro-active role of Gandhi in the movement, he claimed.
