Rahul, Priyanka attend prayer meeting of slain CRPF jawan in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW: Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday attended a prayer meeting of CRPF jawan Amit Kumar Kori, who was killed in the recent Pulwama terror attack, and paid tributes to the slain soldier.

Congress general secretary in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia was also present at the prayer meeting held in Shamli district.

"Congress President @RahulGandhi and General Secretary In charge UP East Smt.@priyankagandhi attend the prayer meeting of martyr Amit Kumar Kori and share their grief with the family," the party said in a tweet.

Rahul and Priyanka were seen consoling the members of the bereaved family.

Uttar Pradesh Sugarcane Minister Suresh Rana also attended the prayer meeting.

Speaking on this occasion, Rahul said, "In these moments of grief, we are with you. His (Kori's) father told us that he is sad, but at the same time proud (of his son). And I want to say that we are sad, but at the same time we are proud that a family of this country gave love to its son and educated him. The son gave his love, body and heart to the country. We can never forget this thing."

"My sister said that in a way our father (former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi) had also met the same fate. We understand your pain and agony. We are here to sit only for five minutes with you and to tell all of you that we want to share your grief," he added.

The Congress president said India is a country of bravehearts and no power in the world can push it backward.

"From the bottom of our heart and on behalf of the country, I thank you, your son and the entire family," Rahul said.

"This is one country. This is a country for everyone (of us) and this is a country of love and brotherhood. This is the message of India," he added.

Forty CRPF personnel were killed on February 14, when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber, in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.

Among the CRPF personnel killed in the attack, 12 hailed from Uttar Pradesh, including two from Shamli.