Congress leader and party General Secretary for Communications, Jairam Ramesh, has sharply criticised the Central government over its handling of the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. In remarks made to media, Ramesh questioned why Members of Parliament were being sent abroad while, according to him, the perpetrators of the deadly April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir were still at large.
“It has been a month since the Pahalgam attack on April 22. Today, those terrorists are roaming around. They had a role in the December 2023 Poonch terror attack, the Ganderbal attack in October 2024, and yet another attack in the same month. This means the Pahalgam terrorists are responsible for four attacks in 18 months—and they are roaming around. Our MPs are roaming around, and our terrorists are roaming around too,” Ramesh said.
His remarks came in response to the government’s move to dispatch seven groups of MPs to various countries to present India’s stance on terrorism and to expose Pakistan’s role in sponsoring it. These delegations are holding meetings with foreign political leaders, think tanks, and the Indian diaspora in an effort to build international consensus against cross-border terror.
Ramesh accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government of focusing its political energy on attacking the Congress instead of taking decisive action against terrorism.
“We are asking these questions seriously. They do not answer these questions. The BJP only targets the Congress party. Their attack is on the Congress party; it should be on the terrorists. Action should be taken against Pakistan. The terrorists should be arrested. The missiles that are being launched every day are being launched against the Congress party,” he said.
Further raising concerns about the government’s legislative priorities, Ramesh suggested that the Centre might convene a special session of Parliament on June 25 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed in 1975. He criticised this potential move, suggesting that the focus should instead be on contemporary national security threats like the Pahalgam attack.
“It is being heard that a special session can be called on 25th and 26th June because it is the 50th anniversary of the Emergency. Undeclared Emergency has been in force in our country since 2014,” he said. “He wants to call a special session about what happened 50 years ago—to divert attention from today’s questions.”
Also Read: Congress accuses BJP of 'patchwork' diplomacy after Op Sindoor
Ramesh went on to say that if such a session is called, the Congress will expose the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during the Emergency.
“We will also expose the role of RSS. We will put the reality in front of the whole country, what they had said. But today, our demand is that a special session be called and also reiterate the February 22, 1994 resolution, update it, and highlight the new challenges, especially the 'jugalbandi' between China and Pakistan, which was given a clean chit by PM Modi. Show some collective resolve and unity,” he said.
The February 22, 1994 resolution passed unanimously in both Houses of Parliament declared Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India and urged international efforts to secure the vacation of Pakistani-occupied Kashmir.
The Congress party has consistently demanded a special parliamentary session to address the situation following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, where terrorists killed 26 people, including a Nepalese national, in the Baisaran valley.
In response to the attack, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ on May 7, targeting terror camps linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The operation led to the elimination of over 100 terrorists. Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling and attempted drone strikes. In response, India carried out a coordinated assault on Pakistani military infrastructure, damaging radar systems, communication hubs, and airfields across 11 locations. An understanding to cease hostilities between India and Pakistan was announced on May 10.
Also Read: Ramesh calls NITI Aayog ‘Ayogya’, an exercise in 'hypocrisy'
Follow us
