During the second day of his Uttar Pradesh visit, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met the aggrieved family of Shubham Dwivedi, the 31-year-old Kanpur tourist who was martyred in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. In the heart-wrenching meeting, Shubham’s wife Aishanya cried upon seeing Rahul, who hugged and comforted her.
Wife Recounts Horror of Pahalgam Attack
Aishanya recounted the nightmarish experiences of the attack and how terrorists shot her husband dead in front of her eyes. “There was security everywhere, but there was none in Pahalgam,” she said to Rahul. Shubham’s father, Sanjay Dwivedi, was left teary-eyed recalling the horror, saying, “Half of my son’s head fell on her. Please do something. You are a big leader of this country.”
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh | Lok Sabha LoP & Congress MP Rahul Gandhi meets the family of Shubham Dwivedi – a resident of Kanpur who was killed in a horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22.
Rahul Gandhi says, “A special session should be called for those who have lost… pic.twitter.com/F9tW4kV8B5
— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2025
Rahul Gandhi, emotionally moved, replied, “I have experienced this type of pain twice. My grandmother and father were victims of terrorism.” He promised the family that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking martyr status for Shubham. “I had sought an all-party meeting with the PM so that such victims are given dignity,” he said.
He also arranged a phone call between the family and Priyanka Gandhi using his cell phone, extending further assistance to the bereaved family. “We will make sure the terrorists receive the worst punishment, wherever they are hiding,” Rahul assured the family.
Political Drama in Amethi During Visit
Earlier during the day, Rahul Gandhi went to Amethi for the first time after the Lok Sabha elections. He took around two hours to meet students and opened an open-heart surgery operation theatre at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital. He then departed for Fursatganj Airport via a back gate.
His visit, however, was not controversy-free. BJP workers protested against him, clashing with police when they were detained. Furthermore, posters referring to him as “a friend of terror” were put up at more than 20 places, including the district Congress office and bus stand. All the posters were removed by police before Rahul’s visit, and they are examining CCTV footage to trace the culprits.
Shubham Dwivedi had been married to Aishanya just two months before the incident. On April 17, he left for Kashmir with 11 family members. They were scheduled to return on April 23, but tragedy struck a day earlier. Around 2:45 p.m. on April 22, terrorists opened fire in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, killing Shubham in front of his wife.
State Honors and CM Yogi’s Tribute
Shubham was cremated with state honors five days ago. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid his respects during the funeral. Aishanya had demanded tough action from the CM, saying, “The terrorists killed my husband in front of my eyes. Yogi Ji, we want revenge. Please act.”
Rahul Gandhi’s visit comes amid growing demands for accountability and justice. His outreach to the family and commitment to push for official recognition of Shubham as a martyr have drawn both praise and political attention.
