"Grave Implications For National Security": Rahul Gandhi On J&K Decision

Rahul Gandhi's resignation has left the Congress in a desperate state with no viable replacement so far.

A day after the government announced the end of special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the constitution and the state's bifurcation into two union territories, Rahul Gandhi broke his silence. The move would have "grave implications" for national security, the Congress leader tweeted.

"National integration isn't furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land. This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security," Rahul Gandhi posted.

In another tweet, he also called for the release of former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, who were arrested on Monday and have been shifted to undisclosed locations.

Kashmir's mainstream political leaders have been jailed at secret locations.

This is unconstitutional & undemocratic.

It's also short sighted and foolish because it will allow terrorists to fill the leadership vaccum created by GOI.

The imprisoned leaders must be released.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 6, 2019

The response on Twitter came after a meeting of Congress lawmakers with Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi to crystalize the party's stand amid differing voices within.

Rahul Gandhi was silent as his party leaders fumbled on Monday for a response to Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement in the Rajya Sabha on the big Kashmir changes.

While Congress leaders in the Rajya Sabha aggressively opposed the changes and called them "murder of democracy", outside parliament, leaders like Janardhan Dwivedi and Deepender Hooda supported them.

Asked whether he should call an emergency meet, Rahul Gandhi had told NDTV he "cannot call a meeting as he is no more Congress president".

The 49-year-old quit as Congress chief in May, taking responsibility for the party's debacle in the national election.

This morning, his mother Sonia Gandhi, asked whether the party should oppose the measure or back it - given the support of many parties even in the opposition ranks. "We will oppose it and our opposition is based on the manner in which the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the state assembly, have not been consulted," she reportedly told Congress lawmakers.

Rahul Gandhi's resignation has left the Congress in a desperate state with no viable replacement so far. The party has called a meeting of its top decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee, to decide on an interim chief.