Ghulam Nabi Azad stopped at Srinagar Airport, sent back

Srinagar : Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad was stopped at Srinagar airport on Wednesday after he landed in the city. Srinagar has been on a security lockdown since Sunday to ensure safety and security post Centre's big decision to abort Article 370 and split the state into two Union Territories.

"He is being sent back by 3:30 pm flight. He was to attend a meeting and visit his home," said a Congress leader, who asked not to be named, according to ANI.

It has been learned that Ghulam Nabi Azad was in Srinagar to meet the Congress leaders. 

For safety reasons, the government had detained around 400 people, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah. 

"The people of Jammu and Kashmir are sad. I am going there to be a part of their sadness, to be with them," Mr Azad told reporters. "Probably for the first time, all 22 districts have seen a curfew. Have you heard of this before?"

He also implied that visuals on Wednesday showing National Security Adviser Ajit Doval chatting with Kashmiris in Srinagar and sharing a meal with them on the streets - seen to be an attempt to convey that the situation is returning to normal - were a set-up.

"You can pay anyone to get these done," Mr Azad said.

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra avoided speaking directly against the government's move but criticised the way it was pushed through without consultations.

The CWC finally put out a resolution condemning the Kashmir move as "unilateral, brazen and undemocratic".