Pahalgam Attack: Kharge Demands Accountability, Blames Government Lapses

Amidst heated discussions in the Parliament Monsoon Session, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has demanded accountability for the recent Pahalgam terror attack, questioning who will take responsibility for the security lapse that led to the tragic loss of lives.

Speaking passionately in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge paid tribute to the victims of the barbaric attack and offered his deepest condolences to their grieving families. He expressed his anguish, stating, “Mehendi waale haathon ne pati ki laash uthai hai, bebas rote bachhon ne papa ki jaan ganwai hai, ashru bhare lachaar khadi bebas naari ko dekha hai, Pahalgam ghaati mein humne apno ko marte dekha hai” (Hands adorned with henna lifted the bodies of their husbands, helpless crying children lost their fathers, we saw helpless women standing with tears, in Pahalgam valley we saw our loved ones die).

Kharge’s strong remarks come as Parliament debates “Operation Sindoor,” a military response following the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. The opposition has been consistently raising questions about intelligence failures and the government’s preparedness, with Kharge directly challenging the government to admit its “lapses” and “failure” in preventing such terror attacks.

He highlighted that the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, himself acknowledged the Pahalgam incident as a “security lapse” and took responsibility. However, Kharge asserted that the “real accountability lies with the Home Minister, not LG,” and called for the Home Minister to take responsibility for the attack and resign.

Kharge further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had prior intelligence about a potential attack, citing the cancellation of the PM’s planned visit to Kashmir just days before the Pahalgam incident. He questioned why, if the government had such information, tourists were not warned or adequate security measures put in place to protect them.

The Congress leader’s criticism extends to the broader issue of national security, accusing the current government of spreading falsehoods while undermining past achievements. He drew a sharp contrast, stating, “Congress made weapon factories, you made lie factories.”

While Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that the three terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack had been neutralized, the opposition continues to press for answers on the initial security failures. Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, also speaking in Parliament, attributed the Pahalgam attack to intelligence agencies’ failure and questioned the Modi government’s claims of peace in Jammu and Kashmir post the abrogation of Article 370.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament is witnessing intense debates on national security, with the government defending its actions and the opposition demanding greater transparency and accountability for the tragic events in.