Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has committed to adopting 22 children from Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district who lost their parents or family breadwinners during Operation Sindoor, the recent cross-border conflict triggered by Pakistani shelling.
According to J&K Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra, the education of these children will be fully funded by Gandhi until they complete their graduation. Karra also confirmed that the first aid instalment will be released this week to ensure that the children’s schooling continues without disruption.
Gandhi’s gesture follows his visit to Poonch in May, where he instructed local party leaders to prepare a list of children affected by the conflict. A detailed survey was carried out, and names were finalized after cross-verification with government records.
Congress MP Offers Words of Encouragement to Children Affected by Shelling
During his visit to Poonch, Gandhi also visited Christ Public School, where he met classmates of Urba Fatima and Zain Ali, 12-year-old twins who lost their lives in the shelling. Speaking to the grieving children, he offered reassurance and encouragement.
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“I feel very, very proud of you. You miss your little friends. I’m very sorry about that. Now, you feel a little bit of danger and a little frightened, but don’t worry; everything will go back to normal. Your way of responding to this should be to study really hard, play really hard and make a lot of friends in school,” Gandhi told the students.
The cross-border shelling during Operation Sindoor severely impacted Poonch, with many civilians, including children, injured. Among the fatalities was Vihaan Bhargav, a young boy struck by shrapnel while fleeing with his family.
Operation Sindoor: Background
Operation Sindoor was conducted by Indian forces in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives. In response, India targeted nine terror hubs across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan, eliminating over 100 terrorists. The operation concluded with a cessation of hostilities on May 10, following military action on May 7.
