Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi Criticises Lack Of Clarity On Pahalgam Terror Attack Response

During a heated debate in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi criticised the response to the Pahalgam terror attack. He questioned why, even after 100 days, there were no clear answers about the incident that claimed 26 civilian lives. Gogoi demanded Defence Minister Rajnath Singh explain how terrorists infiltrated Baisaran in Pahalgam, a sensitive area.

"This is the age of information warfare. The honourable minister spoke at length, yet failed to answer the most basic question, how did terrorists even reach Pahalgam and kill 26 innocent civilians?" said Gaurav Gogoi.

Government's Handling of National Security

Gogoi accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir's economy and incite communal unrest. He criticised the government for not apprehending the attackers despite having advanced surveillance tools like drones and Pegasus. "You have drones, Pegasus, and all sorts of surveillance tools, yet you couldn't catch them?" he stated.

He also questioned the effectiveness of revoking Article 370 in 2019 by the BJP-led government. "What kind of arrangement is this that even after Article 370's removal, terrorism is still alive in Kashmir?" he asked.

Concerns Over Ceasefire Announcement

The Congress MP raised concerns over a sudden ceasefire announced on May 10. He suggested India might have succumbed to external pressure. "The entire country, including the Opposition, was supporting PM Modi. Then why did you announce a ceasefire? The US President has claimed 26 times that he forced India and Pakistan into it. If Pakistan was ready to kneel, why did you stop, and to whom did you surrender?" he asked.

Gogoi highlighted issues with emergency response during the attack. He mentioned reports that ambulances took nearly an hour to reach victims, indicating poor preparedness on the ground.

Criticism of PM Modi's Actions

Gogoi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for delivering political speeches in Bihar after returning from Saudi Arabia instead of visiting the terror-affected region. "Only our leader Rahul Gandhi went there to meet the victims," he said amidst attempts by ruling alliance members to shout him down.

The Congress MP recalled witnessing a mother and child crying upon seeing a soldier, not out of relief but fear. "How did it come to this?" he questioned.