The opposition has questioned the Government over letting a delegation of European Union MPs visit Jammu and Kashmir at a time when Indian parliamentarians are not allowed to visit the state.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the Centre calling the move ‘a very unique sort of nationalism’.

The delegation reached Srinagar on Tuesday for a two-day visit during which they will assess the ground situation in the state.

This the first such visit to the Valley that comes amid concerns voiced in the US and some other countries over the situation in the state after the revocation of its special status.

“European MPs were allowed to travel to Kashmir and intervene, but Indian MPs and leaders were sent back from the airport as soon as they arrived! It is a very unique sort of nationalism (bada anokha rashtravaad hai yah.),” Gandhi said.

Earlier on Monday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi slammed Centre and expressed similar views.

“MPs from Europe are welcome to go on a guided tour of Jammu & #Kashmir while Indian MPs are banned & denied entry. There is something very wrong with that,” he said in a tweet.

On Monday, the EU delegation met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.

The Congress also came heavily on the delegation’s visit being facilitated by the government.

“Indian MPs should perhaps consider getting elected to European Parliament to be able to visit J&K that govt claims was integrated into India without firing a single bullet. Was J&K enemy/alien Territory before 5 August 2019? Has it not been an inalienable part of India since 1947?” Congress MP Manish Tewari asked in a tweet.

The party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma, told mediapersons that the government “rolling out the red carpet to EU MPs… briefing them and inviting them to visit Jammu and Kashmir is a disrespect to the sovereignty of the Indian Parliament and the violation of the privileges of Indian MPs.”

“When leaders of the opposition and Members of Parliament went to Srinagar, they were detained and not allowed to meet any individual or community organisations. This stand of the government is self-defeating and contradicts the consistent position that J&K is India’s internal matter. Is this the new version of Indian nationalism,” he asked.

Earlier, a joint delegation of opposition MPs led by Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to go beyond Srinagar airport and was sent back to Delhi.

This is the first foreign delegation to visit Kashmir since its special status granted under Article 370 was abolished on August 5, which led to a huge outcry in neighbouring Pakistan and persistent efforts by Islamabad to internationalise the issue.

Their visit to Kashmir comes two days ahead of the state’s formal bifurcation into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.