Cong issues show cause notice to its three leaders in J-K for meeting EU MPs

The Congress issued a show cause notice to its three senior leaders in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday for meeting the visiting European Union parliamentarians without prior permission, and sought an explanation from them.

Former minister and MLA Usman Majid, state general secretary Channi Singh and spokesperson Farooq Andrabi met the EU delegation in Srinagar.

"The party has issued a show cause notice to its party leaders, who have met the visiting EU parliamentary delegation without prior permission of the party to explain their position within a week," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Ghulam Ahmad Mir told PTI.

Majid reportedly received a call for participation from an embassy in a dinner meeting with the delegation and had not taken part in an official capacity.

Similarly, Singh had gone with a delegation of a Sikh minority forum and Andrabi met the delegation as a journalist.

"They should not have gone as they were senior Congress leaders and office bearers too," Mir said, adding that the show cause notice has been served to them to explain in which capacity they met the delegation.

The state party chief said the Congress had no official information from the government to meet the delegation.

The Congress has criticised the BJP government for allowing the EU MPs to visit Kashmir, while denying permission to Indian parliamentarians, including its leader Rahul Gandhi.