Rahul Gandhi praises security forces for eliminating terrorist Riyaz Naikoo in valley

New Delhi: A day after Rahul Gandhi got embroiled himself in controversy over supporting 3 photojournalists for their ‘striking images of life’ in Kashmir, the Congress leader today voiced his ‘clear support’ for the security forces.

Rahul Gandhi congratulated the security forces for eliminating Riyaz Naikoo, a terrorist who carried an award of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

Rahul tweeted, “I congratulate our security forces for bringing the terrorist, Riyaz Naikoo, to justice. The killing of innocent people by terrorists must never go unpunished.”

I congratulate our security forces for bringing the terrorist, Riyaz Naikoo, to justice. The killing of innocent people by terrorists must never go unpunished.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 6, 2020

Rahul may have made it loud and clear that terrorists must not go unpunished but it is being seen as a ‘damage control exercise’ by many as it comes a day after he stood with journalists who ‘captured life in the contested territory of Kashmir’.

Priyanka Gandhi also saluted the jawans for killing the dreaded Hizbul commander.

आज के एनकाउंटर में हमारी सेना ने हिजबुल आतंकी संगठन के कमांडर को मार गिराया।

भारतीय सेना के जवानों और उनके पराक्रम को नमन।

जय हिन्द।

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) May 6, 2020

Some facts about terrorist Riyaz Naikoo

* 35-year-old Riyaz Naikoo was one of the top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen. He was a top rated (A++ category) terrorist and carried a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

* Riyaz Naikoo was wanted in multiple incidents of killing of personnel, including police officials.

* He rose to the top post after the killings of of Hizbul’s poster boy Burhan Wani and another militant commander Saddam. Naikoo also featured in photographs with Burhan Wani.

Controversy over Rahul’s endorsement of photojournalists

Yesterday, Rahul greeted the photojournalists Dar Yasin, Mukhtar Khan and Channi Anand for winning Pulitzer Prize for their powerful images of life in Jammu & Kashmir.

Soon after the congratulatory tweet, BJP went on to attack the Congress, asking if the opposition party considers the Valley as an integral part of India or not.

“Will Sonia Gandhi answer? Whether she and the Congress party concur with Rahul Gandhi on the issue of Kashmir not being an integral part of India! Rahul today congratulated those who got an award for considering Kashmir as a ‘Contested Territory’!” BJP’s Sambit Patra asked.

BJP’s Amit Malviya also attacked the former Congress president in his tweet.

“Rahul Gandhi endorses journalists awarded by Pulitzer for capturing ‘life in the contested territory of Kashmir as India revoked its independence’. Qs for Rahul: 1) does he consider Kashmir a contested territory? 2) was abrogating Art 370 an act of revoking Kashmir’s independence?” he said.