'Anti-national' to silence people, says Priyanka

New Delhi: A day after her brother and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders were sent back from the Srinagar airport, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday hit out at those accusing them of "politicizing" the Jammu and Kashmir issue and said there is nothing more "political" and "anti-national" than the alleged "shutting down" of democratic rights in Kashmir. She also asserted that the Congress will not stop raising its voice against it.

Taking to Twitter, Priyanka tagged a video in which a woman is seen telling Rahul Gandhi, on the flight from Srinagar, problems being faced by her family and loved ones.

"Our children have not been able to move out of their houses. My brother is a heart patient and he couldn't see the doctor for 10 days. We are totally in trouble," the woman can be heard saying amid sobs.

Rahul, on the other hand, can be seen patiently listening to the woman's ordeal and consoling her, while other Congress leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, also listened to the woman's emotional outburst.

"How long is this going to continue? This is one out of millions of people who are being silenced and crushed in the name of 'Nationalism'," Priyanka said in a tweet accompanying the video.

"For those who accuse the Opposition of 'politicising' this issue: There is nothing more 'political' and 'anti-national' than the shutting down of all democratic rights that is taking place in Kashmir," Priyanka said.

"It is the duty of every one of us to raise our voices against it, we will not stop doing so," she added.

Meanwhile, Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday denied that there was any shortage of medicines and essential commodities in Jammu and Kashmir and said communication curbs helped save many lives there.

He also said no life has been lost in Jammu and Kashmir due to any violence in the last 10 days after the abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir and its division into two Union Territories.

"If blockade of communication helps saves lives, what is the harm?" he told reporters when asked to comment on how long the restrictions will continue.

Malik said that in the past, whenever there was a crisis in Kashmir, at least 50 people used to die in the first week itself.

Malik said there has been no shortage of medicines and essential commodities anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir and enough stocks were available for the people to buy.