Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has announced that he will “adopt” 22 children from Jammu Kashmir’s Poonch district who lost one or both parents during recent cross-border shelling linked to Operation Sindoor.
The military operation, launched in response to a deadly attack in Pahalgam, saw India targeting several militant hideouts across the border.
According to Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra, these children have either lost both parents or the sole earning member of their families due to the shelling. “Rahul Gandhi has pledged to cover all educational expenses for these children until they graduate,” Karra said.
The first installment of financial assistance is expected to be released this Wednesday to ensure that the children’s education continues without interruption.
The move follows Gandhi’s visit to Poonch in May, during which he met affected families and instructed party workers to compile verified lists of impacted children in coordination with official records.
A subsequent survey led to the identification of 22 children who will now receive sustained support.
During his meeting with the children, Rahul Gandhi had offered words of comfort: “I am proud of you. I know you must miss your little friends, and the fear is still fresh. But don’t be scared, life will return to normal. The best way to respond to this tragedy is to study with dedication, play freely, and build strong friendships.”
Poonch was among the worst-hit areas during the shelling. A tragic incident occurred when a child, Vihaan Bhargav, was killed by shrapnel while his family attempted to flee the town. A religious school, Zia-ul-Uloom, was also hit, injuring several children.
Gandhi’s initiative, while personal and humanitarian, also comes at a politically charged time.
Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam attack remain points of contention in Parliament, with opposition parties demanding more transparency and accountability from the central government.
Rahul Gandhi’s gesture has been widely seen as a compassionate political intervention aimed at healing the wounds of conflict and ensuring that children caught in cross-border violence are not abandoned to fate.
