WATCH: Ready to go to Kashmir alone, says Rahul Gandhi

A delegation of opposition leaders from the Congress, CPI(M), RJD, NCP, Trinamool Congress and the DMK, which had arrived to visit the Kashmir Valley, was detained at the Srinagar International Airport. They were planning to take stock of the situation in the Valley after the abrogation of Article 370 in the state.

Before leaving for Srinagar from Delhi, the delegation, including Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, K.C. Venugopal, Sitaram Yechury, Tiruchi Siva, Sharad Yadav, Dinesh Trivedi and D. Raja, had insisted that they were only visiting to assess the ground situation, and not to create any disturbance.

However, at the airport, they were informed that they would not be allowed to visit the Valley. They were told that restrictions were imposed on the movement of the political delegation within the territorial jurisdiction of the Budgam district.

"We are here at the public invitation of the honourable governor who asked us to visit and see for ourselves the peace and normalcy that prevails. We are responsible political leaders and elected representatives and our intentions are entirely peaceful and humanitarian," the letter signed by the delegation members, said.

Rahul Gandhi said the delegation was invited by Governor Satya Pal Malik. “The governor has said that I am invited. Now that I have come, you tell me that I am not allowed. The government is saying that everything is normal. So, if everything is normal, then why are we not allowed out. It's a bit surprising. We want to go to any area that is peaceful and talk to a few people. We won't do anything more. And if it is [Section]144, them I am ready to go individually. We don't even have to go as a group,” said the Congress leader.

The Jammu and Kashmir information and public relations department had urged political leaders not to visit Srinagar “as they would be putting other people to inconvenience" at a "time when the government is trying to protect the people of Jammu and Kashmir from the threat of cross border terrorism and attacks...."

After they were tuned back, the Congress, in a tweet, asked if the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is normal as the government claims, why the delegation was sent back from the Srinagar Airport.

The party also lodged a strong protest with the Budgam district magistrate, saying their detention was “undemocratic and unconstitutional”.

The CPI(M), too, had expressed its displeasure, saying, “The denial of entry to well-known leaders of recognised political parties is an outright attack on the rights of political parties to meet and address their constituents. Denying entry is daylight robbery of rights guaranteed by the Constitution.”

However, when asked about the administration's decision to not allow opposition leaders to visit the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal told reporters that the priority is to maintain law and order at a time when the threat of cross-border terrorism is present.

Reacting to the developments, Governor Satya Pal Malik said the visit of the delegation was "nothing but a political action".

"There is no need for him (Rahul Gandhi) now. He was needed when his colleague was speaking in Parliament. If he wants to aggravate the situation and come here to repeat the lie he said in Delhi, it is not good," he said.

The governor clarified that the invitation he had extended to Rahul Gandhi was out of goodwill. "I had invited him out of goodwill, but he started doing politics. It was nothing but political action by these people. It is sad. Parties should keep in mind the national interest in these times," he said.