Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reportedly admitted security lapses in the Pahalgam terror attack at an all-party meeting on Thursday. “If nothing went wrong, why are we sitting here? There are lapses where we need to find them. We need to know the reasons for the security failure,” the Union Minister clarified.
The government has called an all-party meeting to brief opposition leaders after the brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. In this meeting, leaders of several opposition parties raised questions about the failure of security protocols. “Where are the security forces? Where is the Central Reserve Police Force?”, they asked.
Amit Shah is understood to have said that local authorities did not inform security agencies before opening the Baisaran area near Pahalgam in Anantnag district. It is said that it is traditionally limited to the Amarnath Yatra in June. The sources said that the opposition parties also expressed concern over the delay in responding after the incident.
A day after India announced a raft of measures against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, leaders across party lines pledged unconditional support to the government in whatever actions it may take against the perpetrators of the attack and their handlers. At the same time, several Opposition leaders questioned the government, saying the attack pointed to “lapses” in security and intelligence.
The government shared its assessment of the emerging situation with leaders of political parties to forge a broad domestic political consensus on the matter. Several Opposition leaders questioned the government over the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the meeting. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the meeting.
Several leaders, including Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, his Lok Sabha counterpart Rahul Gandhi, TMC’s Sudip Bandyopadhyay and AAP’s Sanjay Singh spoke about lapses in security and intelligence.
“It was important that the Prime Minister attend such a meeting because the decisions he takes are final… and are of importance…they (the ministers) said they will brief him. I said briefing him is one thing and he himself listening to our views and taking a decision is another,” Kharge said after the meeting.
“We also raised the issue of security lapses. How can such a lapse happen when a three-tier security was in place? Rahul Gandhi asked how can 1000-odd people go there and the police do not have any knowledge,” he said.
Earlier in the day Congress sources said Rahul Gandhi will travel to Jammu and Kashmir on Friday and meet those injured in the terror attack. The sources said Gandhi will visit the Government Medical College (GMC) in Anantnag to enquire about the health of the injured. Gandhi cut short his visit to the United States to attend the crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee held earlier on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Rajnath Singh briefed the meeting on the decisions taken by the CCS. Singh, he said, reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and conveyed to the leaders the government’s intention to “take more strong actions”. Rijiju said officials from the Intelligence Bureau and Home Ministry briefed the meeting.
“How the incident happened… the site where the incident happened is not on the main road… all the parties were told that sub kuch achha chalte huay bhi yeh ghatna ek chook hai… everybody is saddened… what all steps have been taken to ensure that such an incident does not happen again,” he added.
