As the Centre continues to face criticism from opposition parties over the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday launched a fresh attack on the Narendra Modi government. He questioned how terrorists managed to reach the Baisaran Valley, located 300–400 kilometers from the Line of Control (LoC).
The former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister demanded clarity from the Centre regarding the fate of the terrorists involved in the April 22 attack, asking whether they were tracked down or killed during the Operation Sindoor precision strikes carried out on May 7.
"Pahalgam is around 300–400 kilometres from the LoC. How did the terrorist manage to reach there? The centre said that the perpetrators had been identified. What happened then? Were they tracked down or killed?" Pilot questioned.
On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists opened fire in the Baisaran Valley, killing 26 civilians. In retaliation, the Indian armed forces launched precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.
Following these strikes, Pakistan responded with drone and missile attacks on Indian military and civilian sites, leading to a sharp escalation in military tensions between the two nations. However, both sides agreed to a ceasefire understanding on May 10, easing the situation.
A major political controversy erupted in India after US President Donald Trump claimed that the "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan was a result of mediation by his administration—an assertion India promptly rejected. However, opposition parties sharply criticised the Centre over Trump's statement, accusing it of allowing third-party interference in the Kashmir issue.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot intensified the criticism, stating, "For the first time, the president of another country announced an agreement between India and Pakistan. He lured India with bilateral trade and the government has so far refrained from rebutting Trump's claims."
He expressed regret that none of the top US officials—be it the President, Vice President, or Secretary of State—used the terms "terror" or "Pakistan-sponsored terror" when discussing the India-Pakistan tensions or the Pahalgam attack.
Sachin Pilot also stated that the demand for a special session of Parliament, previously raised by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, should have been honored.
"The Modi government should convene a special session of Parliament. In the special session, a unified voice of the nation would have been heard, and the government would have given one consolidated reply," Pilot maintained.
The Rajasthan Congress MLA also launched a scathing attack on Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah for his remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who co-led the briefing on Operation Sindoor, and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra who said that the wives of Pahalgam attack victims should have fought back against terrorists.
Accusing the BJP of shielding such leaders, Pilot said that they should have been sacked and stripped of the party's primary membership.
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