Rahul Gandhi to Fund Education for Poonch Children Orphaned in Operation Sindoor Shelling

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition, is set to fund the education of 22 children from the Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir. These children lost one or both parents due to Pakistani shelling during Operation Sindoor, as announced by senior Congress official Tariq Hameed Karra on Monday.

Karra, addressing the media in Rajouri, explained that this initiative was prompted by Gandhi's visit to Poonch following intense cross-border shelling and drone assaults by Pakistan from May 7 to 10. These attacks were in retaliation to Indian missile strikes on terrorist infrastructure across the Line of Control after the April 22 Pahalgam terror incident.

Poonch was heavily affected, with 13 civilian casualties out of the total 28 fatalities recorded during the Pakistani offensive. The tragic losses left numerous children orphaned or bereaved of their primary financial supporters, leading Gandhi to instruct Congress officials to identify school children needing assistance.

Karra mentioned, "There was significant civilian loss and property damage in Poonch and Rajouri. Rahul Gandhi visited the mourning families and asked us to identify children who lost one or both parents, especially those reliant on them for education. We have identified 22 such children from Poonch, and there may be more added to the list."

He also stated that he would be traveling to Poonch on Tuesday to deliver the educational support on behalf of Gandhi.

According to Karra, "This is a personal act by Rahul Gandhi to ensure the children's education continues unaffected by the tragedy, providing them with a sense of security and stability."

Additionally, Karra addressed the status of relations with the pre-poll ally National Conference, clarifying that there are no conflicts but noted that Congress is still waiting for the formation of a coordination committee with the ruling party, a step pending even nine months post-elections.