Srinagar, May 21 (IANS) A five-member delegation of the Trinamool Congress arrived here on Wednesday on a three-day-long visit to J&K to express solidarity with locals who faced cross-border shelling in the Pakistani forces’ retaliation to ‘Operation Sindoor’.

The delegation includes the party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien MP, deputy leader Sagarika Ghosh, chief whip in Rajya Sabha, Mohammad Nadimul Haque, upper house member Mamata Thakur and West Bengal minister Manas Bhunia.

The delegation is also visiting the family of Syed Adil Hussain, the local horse owner who sacrificed his life to protect the tourists from the terrorists on April 22 LeT attack on tourists in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.

The delegation will hand over a letter of tribute and a cash ex gratia relief cheque of Rs 5 lakhs to the family of the slain horse owner.

“Under the guidance of AITC chairperson @MamataOfficial, a 5-member delegation will be proceeding to Srinagar, Poonch and Rajouri. The delegation comprising @derekobrienmp @MdNadimulHaque6 @ManasB_Official @sagarikaghose and Mamata Thakur, will be in the region from May 21 to 23 to express solidarity with people affected by cross-border attacks, and share the grief of families who lost their loved ones,” the Trinamool posted on X.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly said that the nation comes first and everyone should unite for the country’s interest.

Trinamool spokesman Kunal Ghosh said: “We see this journey to the border villages of J&K as a journey of empathy, sympathy and solidarity. It is people in the border villages of all communities who have suffered the most due to the situation with Pakistan. They have lost their lives and livelihoods. We are going to tell them that they are not alone. We are standing with them.”

“We will continue to stand with them, the people of Bengal are with them, the people of the entire country are standing with them. For us, ‘Poonch chalo’ is not just a slogan; it is a commitment to an inclusive India. The delegation will meet with affected families and share their grief. This is a political programme of the party,” he said, adding that the team members will “also assess the ground situation and listen to people from those areas who were most impacted at that time”.

The delegation will report its findings to Mamata Banerjee, and these will subsequently be shared with the Centre.

This would mark the first visit by a political delegation to the affected areas since the Pahalgam attack, Trinamool sources said.

–IANS

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