Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met the family members of Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, and said the culprits behind the massacre should be punished in such a way that no one dares to raise an eye at India.
Twenty-six people - 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen - were killed in the terror strike at Baisaran - dubbed 'mini Switzerland' for its meadow - in Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22. Click here for Pahalgam Terror Attack Live Updates
Accompanied by senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad, who is the party's Haryana affairs in-charge, Mr Gandhi reached Karnal in Haryana in the afternoon. After paying tributes to the Naval officer upon reaching his residence, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha spent more than one-and-a-half hours with Narwal's family.
"I met the bereaved family of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal ji who was martyred in the Pahalgam attack and shared their grief and consoled them. Their courage and bravery even in the midst of immense grief is a message for the country - we have to remain united," he said in a post in Hindi on X.
"The whole country stands with the families of the martyrs. The Opposition fully supports the government - the culprits should be punished in such a way that no one dares to raise an eye towards India. Today the entire nation along with the victim families is waiting for justice," he added.
Married three weeks ago, 26-year-old Lt Vinay Narwal, accompanied by his wife Himanshi, was on a honeymoon trip to Pahalgam when terrorists shot him at point blank range.
Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan, Congress' Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda and party leader Divyanshu Budhiraja were also present when Mr Gandhi arrived.
Speaking to reporters later, Mr Hooda said Mr Gandhi consoled the family.
"He (Mr Gandhi) met with the family members, including his parents," Mr Bhan said, adding that he left for Delhi thereafter.
A week ago, Mr Gandhi had visited the family members of Shubham Dwivedi, who was among the 26 people killed in the attack, the deadliest strike in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike. The Resistance Front, a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, claimed responsibility.
Following the attack, India downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and announced a raft of measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and revocation of visa services for Pakistani nationals.
In retaliation, Pakistan also announced a series of measures, and said that any move to divert water meant for it under the pact will be considered an "Act of War". Both sides have shut their airspaces for one another.
