Baramulla, June 01: Congress president Sonia Gandhi's visit to the valley is a dream come true for the Congress workers, who assembled here to see her in flesh and blood and experience the aura of the Gandhi-Nehru family after a long gap. ''I have not come to listen to the political speech of Ms Gandhi, but to see how she looks...is she similar to late Indira Gandhi who used to visit Kashmir often, ''said 70-year-old women Khatee.
''I had a pleasure to shake hands with Mrs Indira Gandhi when she was in the town in late seventies,'' she recalled and said ''in those days there was no restriction to shake hands and exchange words with leaders.''
''Things have changed since...the present leaders are not so sincere...there is security forces everywhere holding automatic weapons,'' she said.
''I do not think I will be able to see Sonia Ji this time because security forces are not allowing anyone to go close to the area from where she will address the meeting,'' she said.
Her son Ghulam Ahmad said that they were traditional supporters of the Congress.
''After the militancy started we did not see any senior Congress leader... situation also forced us to keep a distance from the party,'' he said adding that ''things are again moving for better.''
''People always find Indira Ji closer to their hearts because of her love for Kashmir,'' he said reminiscing.
''She use to visit the valley during the months of late October and early November when the leaves of Chinar tree colour the valley in a golden hue,'' he said.
He also recalled that in sixties when Congress was ruling the state and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was heading a plebiscite front.
Late Sheikh Abdullah had asked people to boycott the Congressmen. Bureau Report