‘Money Can Buy Anyone’: Azad on Doval Sharing Food With Kashmiris

NSA Ajit Doval was seen chatting with locals in Shopian amid curfew since the effective abrogation of Article 370.

NSA Ajit Doval sharing lunch with locals amid curfew in Kashmir.

(Photo: PTI)

Amid a lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir since the Centre’s decision to strip the state of its special status and bifurcate it into two Union Territories, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, on Tuesday, 7 August, was seen chatting and sharing food with locals on the streets of Shopian.

Against the backdrop of closed shops, Doval was seen eating the traditional Kashmiri Wazwan served on the streets by locals. According to PTI, Doval arrived in Kashmir on Tuesday for a confidence building measure (CMB) among the locals.

(Photo: PTI)

(Photo: PTI)

(Photo: PTI)

(Photo: PTI)

(Photo: PTI)

(Photo: PTI)

“Everything will be alright. Your safety and security is our responsibility,” Doval told people in Shopian district.

He also met policemen in the area and praised their role in containing the situation in the state for the past several years.

"Jammu and Kashmir Police is one of the best police forces. It has a special place for us," Doval told the policemen.

Later, videos of Doval, along with Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbagh Singh, interacting with locals and policemen went viral on social media.

‘You Can Buy Anyone With Money’: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Soon after the photos and the videos started doing the rounds on social media, many questioned the circumstances in which the photos were taken, including senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. Slamming Doval, Azad told reporters on Thursday, 8 August, “You can buy anyone with money.”