"Kashmir is India's internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan to interfere," Rahul Gandhi said.

Highlights Rahul Gandhi said that Jammu and Kashmir was India's internal matter

He accused Pakistan of instigating and supporting violence in J&K

Congress said Pak should answer on human rights violations in PoK

The Congress today hit out at Pakistan for "mischievously" dragging Rahul Gandhi's name in a petition, reportedly moved in the United Nations, to justify its "lies" and misinformation on Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement, the Congress said that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were and will always be an integral part of India as it accused Pakistan of instigating violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rahul Gandhi has said that Jammu and Kashmir was India's internal matter and there was no room for Pakistan or any other country to intervene. He also accused Pakistan of instigating and supporting violence in Jammu and Kashmir and said it has been known as "the prime supporter of terrorism across the world".

The Congress leader said this was despite the fact that he disagreed with the BJP-led government on many issues. "I disagree with this Government on many issues. But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India's internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it," he said in a tweet.

"There is violence in Jammu & Kashmir. There is violence because it is instigated and supported by Pakistan which is known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world," he added.

Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party had noticed "reports citing an alleged petition moved by Pakistani Government to United Nations on Jammu & Kashmir, where Rahul Gandhi's name has been mischievously dragged to justify the pack of lies and deliberate misinformation being spread by Pakistan".

"Let no one in the world be in doubt that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain an integral part of India. No amount of diabolical deception by Pakistan shall change this irrevocable truth," he said in a statement.

Mr Surjewala said Pakistan should instead answer to the world about the "unpardonable and inhumane violations of human rights" in PoK. Pakistan also owed an explanation for the "designed persecution" of over seven crore Mohajirs (Muslim immigrants of multi-ethnic origin and their descendants, who migrated from various regions of India to Pakistan after the independence of Pakistan) and the killing of over 25,000 of them by its forces, he added.

The Congress leader said besides the instances of human rights violations in Balochistan, thousands had gone missing and mass graves were being uncovered by different agencies.

Let the world be reminded again that almost every terrorist organisation thrives in Pakistan under political and military patronage - be it Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Hizbul Mujahideen, Al-Qaeda or Taliban and its multiple offshoots," the Congress leader said.

"We urge that Pakistan should answer these issues, both internally to its people as also to the international community, instead of raising the fake Kashmir bogey," he added.