Congress Holds Amit Shah Responsible For Pahalgam Security Failure: “Operation Sindoor A Military Success, Political Failure”

New Delhi, May 21: The Congress today said categorically that the Pahalgam terror attack was an intelligence and security failure for which the Union Home Minister Amit Shah is responsible and he should take accountability.

The party also observed that while the country’s defence forces were hundred percent successful, Modi failed as a leader. “Operation Sindoor was a complete military success, while Modi failed to achieve its political objective,” said Col Rohit Chaudhry, Chairman of the Ex-Servicemen Department in the AICC, while addressing a press conference along with Wg Cdr Anuma Acharya.

The Congress leaders maintained that our defence forces had established complete superiority and dominance over Pakistan before the sudden ceasefire was announced, that too by the US President Donald Trump.

Col Rohit Chaudhry said that just as India, under the political leadership of Smt Indira Gandhi and the military leadership of Field Marshal Manekshaw had achieved complete dominance over Pakistan in 1971 and split it into two parts, our defence forces this time had also established similar dominance and could have broken Pakistan into many pieces. But, he regretted, the current political leadership, led by Prime Minister Modi, failed and succumbed to pressure by accepting the ceasefire thrust on us by the United States.

He pointed out, despite Trump repeatedly claiming that he mediated the ceasefire, there was no denial by Prime Minister Modi. He said, Modi must speak up and tell Trump that he is wrong, as the country will make its own decisions and will not accept any third-party mediation.

Referring to the Pahalgam attack, Col Rohit Chaudhry said, Amit Shah must take responsibility as there was complete intelligence and security failure, both of which fall directly under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

He said, normally terrorists strike and retreat within a few minutes. But, in Pahalgam, they had a free run and were reportedly killing people for about 40 minutes, as they faced no resistance from any quarter.
He pointed out, Shah had reviewed the security situation just two weeks before the attack and claimed everything was fine. He added, however, PM Modi’s visit scheduled on 17th April was cancelled due to security reasons, apparently after some intelligence inputs. He said, if they had got these inputs, why did they not take any precautionary measures?

Col Chaudhry also criticised External Affairs Minister Jaishankar for providing advance information to Pakistan about the strikes at the start of the operations, saying it was backstabbing our defence forces.

He also demanded that the Agniveer soldiers who were martyred during Operation Sindoor, should be treated at par with regular soldiers in terms of giving respect, honour & compensation without any discrimination. He mentioned that the impact of Agnipath scheme on national security is quite adverse and far-reaching. Therefore, he demanded that Agnipath’ scheme should be scrapped with immediate effect and all ‘Agniveers’ should be confirmed as regular soldiers in the interest of the national security.

Speaking on the occasion, Wg Cdr Anuma Acharya reiterated the party’s questions on how the intelligence failure happen and why the terrorists have not been arrested so far.

She said, the country wants to know why the ceasefire was announced so suddenly and that too by a third party.

She demanded that the May 25 meeting of the NDA Chief Ministers with Prime Minister Modi on the issue of national security should also include the non-NDA Chief Ministers.

“What is their crime for not being invited for the meeting?” she asked, while pointing out, national security concerns everyone, not just the BJP or the NDA.

She raised a serious question—if the Prime Minister remained absent from both all-party meetings, does it not indicate that national security is no longer a matter of priority for him?

She also pointed out that a BJP leader used derogatory language against Colonel Sophia Qureshi, a decorated woman officer. Yet, the BJP has taken no internal disciplinary action, instead it is deflecting responsibility by stating that the matter is sub judice. Is this silence not a tacit endorsement of the insult by the party?

She further questioned the government’s silence despite formal demands by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, for a special session of Parliament to address the issue.

Anuma Acharya stated that in the last week of May, the Congress party will take these questions directly to the people through Jai Hind Sabhas at sixteen locations across the country. The aim is to initiate public dialogue and hold the BJP accountable, compelling the government to recognise its responsibility towards citizens and the nation.