In a heated debate in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Opposition members strongly criticised the central government over the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, accusing it of "complete intelligence and security failure" and alleging that the Centre was evading accountability while suppressing the truth.
The discussion unfolded during a parliamentary debate on the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor, with several opposition leaders raising serious questions about the government’s preparedness and response. Congress MP KV Venugopal led the charge, questioning why the government had failed to ensure the safety of civilians despite earlier claims that Kashmir was safe for tourism. “The government had declared that Kashmir was safe for visitors, but was it not their duty to protect tourists? There was no security presence when 26 innocent lives were lost in Pahalgam,” he said.
Venugopal also took issue with Home Minister Amit Shah's recent speech, alleging that the minister skirted around the core issue of security lapses. “He spoke of everything but the main issue – the intelligence failure,” Venugopal said. He further pointed out that US President Donald Trump had announced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan even before the Indian government did, calling it “a clear case of third-party intervention” — something unprecedented in Indian diplomatic history, according to him.
He further criticised Shah’s remarks about an improved security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting, “A state is burning, and yet the Home Minister says everything is safe.” Backing Venugopal’s assertions, DMK leader A. Raja said the government must take responsibility instead of shifting blame to previous leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru or Indira Gandhi. He criticised the government’s failure to garner international condemnation against Pakistan, saying, “Even major groupings such as G7, G20, and BRICS did not issue any resolution against Pakistan following the attack.”
Also Read: Shah says Pahalgam attackers were from Pak, slams Chidambaram
Raja held the administration accountable, describing the incident as a “classic case of intelligence failure and administrative incompetence”. ET Mohammed Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) echoed similar sentiments. He questioned how terrorists were able to reach a well-known tourist location like Pahalgam undetected. “There are too many unanswered questions. It was clearly a security lapse. What steps have been taken to prevent such attacks?” he asked.
Independent MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid from Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir, described the incident as “a blot on humanity”. He challenged the government’s claims of normalcy in Kashmir, asserting that such narratives existed only on social media. “We are tired of carrying dead bodies,” Rashid said emotionally. He also questioned the Centre on the composition of a seven-member multi-party delegation sent abroad in May to convey India’s anti-terror stance. “How many members from Kashmir were included in that delegation?” he asked.
Also Read: 'You failed to protect them': Priyanka slams Centre on Pahalgam
Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal demanded accountability, insisting that the attack was the result of a serious security lapse. “Responsibility must be fixed,” she said. In a sharp critique of the government's perceived double standards, she remarked, “If we can play cricket with Pakistan, why can’t Diljit Dosanjh’s movie be released in India?” referring to the controversy surrounding the casting of a Pakistani actor in Sardaar Ji 3, which Dosanjh defended releasing overseas.
Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav also held the government responsible, stating there was a clear breach in security. “If the government claims normalcy in Kashmir, how did such a major incident take place? Accountability must be fixed,” she said.
Yadav went on to question why the ceasefire announcement was made by the US President and not by the Indian government itself. “It shows a failure of our foreign policy,” she said. She concluded by calling for a significant increase in defence spending, urging the government to raise the defence budget to 3 per cent of GDP from the current 1.9 per cent.
Also Read: April 22 avenged in 22 minutes: PM hails Op Sindoor in Lok Sabha
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