Indiraji visited Kashmir three days before her assassination: Sonia Gandhi

28 Oct 2009, Anantnag(J&K)
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the occasion of inauguration ceremony of Ananatnag- Qazigund railway line said that Indiraji had had too much affection for the people of Kashmir. "She visited Kashmir just 3-days before her assasination. Perhaps she knew her final departure and that was the reason that she had visited this place to see the Aatish-e- Chinar and to salute this land," she said. She further said, "This is a co-incident that we are meeting here again on the same day when our former Prime Minister Indiraji visited the valley 25 years back."

Congress President thanked people of Jammu and Kashmir for participating in huge number in the Loksabha and assembly elections. She said, "By coming out in big numbers during the polls you have shown to the world that you want peace and development in the valley. You have shown that you have full faith in the democratic process."
Talking on the new railway line connecting Anantnag to Qazigund, she said, "This railway line is an example of state's great leap towards development. Developmental projects can not be done without peace and we all know that there is no issue which can not be solved by negotiations within the framework of democracy." She further said, "It has been our belief that Kashmir has a special place in the picture of secular India and the UPA government under the leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh has made special efforts to develop the state. It has got maximum grant from the Centre, unparallel in recent times The people of Jammu and Kashmir should get the maximum benefits from government initiatives."
She expressed happiness over the functioning of the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. She said that the state and Centre both are leaving no stone unturned for the development of this state. "Many big educational and health institutes are being set up in Jammu and Kashmir and there are many electricity projects in pipeline which will enhance the power generation in the state. This state is also witnessing the arrival of many industrial units which will help in solving unemployment problem. First time in the history of the state, Anantnag has appeared on the railway map and railway connectivity between Jammu and Udhampur has also been established."
Congress President hoped that in coming years more and more areas of the state will be connected through railway lines which will provide more opportunities to the people. She said that tourism industry will also get benefited through these rail projects as transportation is a big tool "With the inauguration of this project, the valley is being linked with the rest of the country and certainly this will enhance the movement of the people from other part of the country, strengthening the bond of brotherhood and mutual affection among them. This will also strengthen our democracy. So, it is not a special day for Jammu and Kashmir alone, it is a special day for the whole country," she said.
She concluded her speech by thanking Railway Minister Mamata Bannerjee, her ministry and its employees for fulfilling this uphill task of building railway lines in the valley.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah, Rail Minister Mamata Banerjee and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad were also present on this occasion.

This article is posted by Press Brief.