On J-K visit, EU MPs take boat ride in Dal Lake, meet Chinar Corps Commander

A delegation of European Union (EU) Members of Parliament visited Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, taking a shikara ride on the Dal Lake and met the Chinar Corps Commander Lt General KJS Dhillon in Srinagar, even as Opposition slammed the Centre for not allowing Indian politicians access to the region.

The EU delegation also met local body members and the members of civil society here.

Earlier in the day, in a meeting which took place at 15 Corps Headquarters in Srinagar, the delegation was also briefed on the role of the Pakistani Army in pushing terrorists into India.

The delegation arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday, a day after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.

The Prime Minister, while welcoming the delegation at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg on Monday, had expressed hope that they would have a fruitful visit to various parts of the country, including Jammu and Kashmir.

This is the first time that the government has allowed a foreign delegation to visit J & K after it stripped the region of its special status under Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad earlier today said: "I don't have an objection to the European Union Parliament delegation visiting Jammu and Kashmir. What I object to is that the MPs of our own country are not being allowed to visit the place. I myself tried to visit Srinagar several times but I was sent back."

Senior Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Binoy Viswam has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing his reservation over the Centre's decision to invite European Union (EU) parliamentarians to visit Jammu and Kashmir, but allegedly disallowing Indian MPs and "responsible citizens" to visit Kashmir.