Rahul politicising matter, never invited him with pre-conditions: Malik

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of "politicising" his invitation to him by seeking to bring a delegation of opposition leaders to the region to create "further unrest and problems for the common people" and said he has referred the matter to local administration to examine the request further.

A Raj Bhavan statement said the Governor never invited Gandhi with "so many preconditions".

"Rahul Gandhi is politicising the matter by seeking to bring a delegation of opposition leaders to create further unrest and problems for the common people. He has put forth many conditions for visiting Jammu and Kashmir, including meeting mainstream leaders under detention. As Governor had never invited him with so many pre-conditions, he has referred the case to the local police and administration to examine the request further," the statement said.

It said Rahul Gandhi was responding to "fake news possibly spread from across the border about the situation in Kashmir, which is peaceful with negligible incidents".

"He can check for himself from various Indian channels which have reported the correct position in the Kashmir Valley. He can also check the detailed submissions made by the Government in the Supreme Court today which heard a case on this matter and left it to Government," it said.

Gandhi earlier in the day tweeted that he and a delegation of opposition leaders accept the Governor's "gracious invitation to visit J & K and Ladakh" and they should be allowed to travel and meet the people, mainstream leaders and soldiers.

Malik had on Monday slammed Gandhi's remarks that there had been reports of violence in Jammu and Kashmir and said he will send an aircraft for the Congress leader to visit Kashmir valley and observe the ground situation.