No sign of government re-strategising for Pakistan-China front, says Congress in Parliament
Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said J&K LG Manoj Sinha had admitted that the Pahalgam terror attack was "undoubtedly" an intelligence and security failure. "The home minister should take responsibility, not the LG. Accountability must be fixed," he said, while also demanding a security review committee to examine lapses like what was done after the 1999 Kargil conflict.
Former home minister P Chidambaram, in turn, said while no one was disputing the damage to terror hubs and airbases in Pakistan during Indian strikes, the govt has shown no signs of "re-strategising" for the "well-fused" Pakistan-China front now.
Indian military, including chief of defence staff, showed "exemplary leadership" and candidness by admitting losses, tactical mistakes and re-strategising after the initial strikes on May 7. "But the govt has not yet admitted intelligence and security lapses. The political leadership has been thoroughly disappointing. They should admit their mistakes. Where is the plan to fight a fused China-Pakistan front?" Chidambaram said.
He also questioned why India had abstained and not voted against the $1 billion assistance to Pakistan by IMF during Operation Sindoor, as well as similar aid by the Asian Development Bank and World Bank. Earlier, the govt had claimed India abstained from IMF vote since system doesn't allow a formal 'no' vote.
Stressing the overall diplomatic failure, with no country "naming and shaming Pakistan", Chidambaram also asked why no all-party delegations were sent to Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and others in the immediate neighbourhood.
Both Kharge and Chidambaram also slammed the PM for not publicly rebutting Trump's repeated claims - almost 30 times by now - that he helped broker ceasefire between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade deals. "The ceasefire was not announced by our PM or defence minister, it first came from the US president," Kharge said.
Trump claimed that five fighter jets were shot down but Modi, who earlier even went all the way to the US to hold a political rally with the slogan "Phir Ek Baar Trump Sarkar", is yet to publicly contradict anything.
"The PM should openly condemn this by saying India does not accept third-party mediation. If no Indian fighter jet has been downed, PM Modi should tell the country," Kharge said.
Noting that BJP-led govt has set up "factories of lies", Kharge said Shah had claimed that Modi govt had crippled terrorist ecosystem while visiting J&K on April 7-8. "If it was crippled, how was Pahalgam attack carried out? You keep saying so many things that are so far from the truth. Just three days before the Pahalgam attack, PM Modi cancelled his scheduled visit to J&K," Kharge said.
"It is an issue I have raised before as well and I have got no answers. Did the Centre suspect an attack was about to be carried out? If so, why were the tourists and pilgrims not stopped from going?" he said.
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