Lok Sabha: Gaurav Gogoi targets govt over Pahalgam terror attack; BJP hits back

Hindustan Times

15 hours ago

Congress member of Parliament (MP) Gaurav Gogoi on Monday accused the government of failing to prevent the Pahalgam terror attack and of deflecting blame onto tour agencies instead of taking accountability. Opening the Opposition's debate in Lok Sabha, he also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the site of the attack after returning from a foreign tour. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi speaks during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, on Monday. (Sansad TV)
'Today, US President Trump claimed that 5-6 (fighter) jets were shot down. One jet costs millions. Therefore, we want (defence minister) Rajnath Singh to tell the truth. How many jets were shot down? India has the courage to listen to the truth,' Gogoi said.
Gogoi cited the remarks of India's defence attache to Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar, who allegedly claimed that the Indian Air Force 'lost fighter jets' in the initial stage of Operation Sindoor because of the orders of the government to hit only terror infrastructure in Pakistan and the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishments and their air defences.
He further said Lt General Singh had informed that the number of targets was reduced from 21 to 9. 'What were the political reasons for reducing the number of targets?' Gogoi asked.
Criticising the Centre's counter-terrorism response, Gogoi questioned the intent behind Operation Sindoor, India's military operation targeting terror infrastructure. Responding to Rajnath Singh's statement that India did not seek war or territorial gain, Gogoi asked, 'If we do not claim Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir today, then when?'
He pointed out that similar rhetoric followed past attacks in Uri and Pulwama, yet Pakistan dared to strike again. 'Rajnath Singh had said in 2016 that our strikes would destroy terrorist infrastructure. He repeated this in 2019. But today, the operation remains incomplete because Rajnath Singh hinted that Pakistan may act again in the future – how long will this cycle continue?' Gogoi asked.
He further raised doubts about the ceasefire with Pakistan. 'On May 10, our ambassador said India would respond. By evening, a ceasefire agreement was announced. If Pakistan was truly on its knees, why did we stop? Whom did we bow before?'
Gogoi also cited US President Donald Trump's statement claiming credit for mediating the ceasefire and alleging that jets were shot down. 'The people of this country have the right to know the truth. Rajnath Singh must clarify – not just for the citizens, but also for our soldiers who are being misled.'
He also took aim at India's foreign policy posture, arguing that the disagreement in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit joint declaration was because a few associate nations in the group hyphenated India and Pakistan. 'You are happy with the playfulness of the words at the BRICS summit. It was only the attack in Kashmir that was condemned in their declaration, not Pakistan. If that is the case, what do you have to say about the $1 billion IMF and $800 million ADB packages to Pakistan?'
'Do not mistake us for enemies of the nation. We are speaking for India and its soldiers. Let us know the truth. We will keep asking questions every time you try to spread confusion,' Gogoi concluded.
Responding to Gogoi, union minister and NDA ally JDU's Lalan Singh said,' There was nothing in his speech. I thought he would have done a proper analysis and spoken but his speech had nothing in praise of our armed forces.' Responding to Gogoi's charge of multiple terror attacks during the Modi regime from Pulwama to Pathankot, Singh said that while the UPA had chosen to deal with terror with a soft touch, it was the Modi government which came up with surgical strikes to counter such attacks. 'Why didn't you condemn the Pakistan government for their role? It's because you do politics for vote while Modiji does it for the country.'
Singh also responded to Gogoi's charge about the number of aircrafts that were allegedly brought down by the enemy. ' You keep asking how many aircraft but that's not important. We destroyed their system and that's the point,'' said Singh.