"You Were Wrong About Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi": BJP

Rahul Gandhi had shamed the nation with his comments on Jammu and Kashmir, the ruling BJP said today, alleging that the Congress leader's comments had been used by Pakistan in its application to the UN. Referring to his tweets on Kashmir this morning, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar demanded an apology both from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.

"Rahul Gandhi today stated that Kashmir is an internal matter and violence is linked to Pakistan, a complete u-turn, why? Because the nation was enraged, they wanted him to," Mr Javadekar said.

This morning, Rahul Gandhi asserted that while he disagreed with the government on many issues, he wanted to make it "absolutely clear" that Kashmir is India's internal issue and violence in Jammu and Kashmir is instigated by Pakistan. The tweets were in response to what the Congress called an attempt by Pakistan to "mischievously drag" his name in a letter to the UN on Jammu and Kashmir.

"Rahul Gandhi said that things in Jammu and Kashmir were going wrong, there were reports of people dying in J&K. You were wrong, Rahul Gandhi. Things are fine in J&K, there is no violence as you imagined. People haven't died. Pakistan used his remarks. The Pakistani application to the UN mentions remarks made by Rahul Gandhi. The application states that acts of violence have been acknowledged by mainstream party leaders such as Rahul Gandhi," said Mr Javadekar.

Rahul Gandhi's tweets were apparently in response to a letter from Pakistani minister Shireen Mazari to the UN on Jammu and Kashmir, referring to his comments on Saturday after he tried to visit Srinagar but was turned away from the airport. The Congress leader had said it was "clear that things are not normal in Jammu and Kashmir".

The Congress had also tweeted: "If the situation in Jammu & Kashmir is 'normal' as the government claims, why has the delegation of opposition leaders led by Shri @RahulGandhi been sent back from Srinagar airport? What is the Modi government trying to hide?"

Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said today that the party had noticed "reports citing an alleged petition moved by Pakistani Government to United Nations on Jammu & Kashmir, where Rahul Gandhi's name has been mischievously dragged to justify the pack of lies and deliberate misinformation being spread by Pakistan".

"The country's 'misinformation minister' Prakash Javadekar has lost his political balance," said Mr Surjewala.