New Delhi:
Sending an important message of unity after the massacre in Pahalgam, the Congress said on Wednesday that it is not a time for biased politics and indicated that it would stand with the government to provide justice to the terrorists. The BJP-led central government has also indicated that it will take the protest into confidence and is considering calling an all-party meeting to brief them about the facts of the attack, killing 26 people, including a naval officer.
In a detailed post on X, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that his party is deeply hurt by the attack, described as “a direct attack on unity and integrity of our nation”. Mr. Kharge said that he had spoken to Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday night and will meet the party’s supreme decision -making Congress Working Committee, to discuss the attack on Thursday morning.
Emphasizing the party’s attention on ensuring justice for the victims, Mr. Kharge wrote, “This is not a time for partisan politics. It is a moment for collective resolutions to ensure justice for those who did justice to the criminals of this terrorist attack by losing their lives and for their unhappy families.”
“We are all one,” the Congress President insisted several times.
“This is a direct attack on the Indian state. The whole nation is in shock. A Pakistani terrorist organization has claimed responsibility. We should give a response. We are all one and we will fight. Without work or properly, it should not be claimed.
Mr. Kharge also asked the Center to hold a meeting to “seek some advice” with all political parties and urged to ensure that tourists make sure to feel safe before the Amarnath Yatra.
“We urge the government to use all their strength to hunt terrorists. It has been almost 22 hours now … The government should make every effort to maintain tourists in the security system of Jammu and Kashmir. The Amarnath Yatra is going to start in a few days, and every year it should also be done that we also participate in the kurts.”
Pointing to the importance of tourism for the Jammu and Kashmir economy, the Congress President said that the government should help those who depend on it. “The Government of India should now help them. At this time, we are all one. We will be one against the terrorists,” he wrote.
Emphasizing that the Congress in this situation “does not want politics”, the Congress president said, “We also hope that the government should also hold a discussion with all political parties to address the challenge of terrorism with all political parties, necessary action has been taken once and complete information has been obtained. They should call all-sided meetings and do not take any advice.
He said, “The Congress party is committed to coordination and cooperation with the government to eliminate terrorism from its roots. We have constantly faced terrorism and separatism, and our top leadership has also sacrificed its life in the fight,” he said.
Take the government
Senior sources of the Central Government said that the opposition will be taken into confidence about the attack and all the parties will be informed about the facts.
Explaining how this can be done, a source said that a senior minister could be asked to talk to opposition leaders and he could be informed about all the facts of the Pahalgam attack and reply. The source said, “The government is also considering calling an all-party meeting to brief the opposition,” adding a decision on this, after Home Minister Amit Shah returns to Delhi and after the Cabinet Committee on security.
The Modi government also called a consensus meeting after the Pulwama attack in February 2019, which was chaired by Rajnath Singh, who was the Home Minister at that time.
