New Delhi: Amid growing political heat following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians dead, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) International Working President Alok Kumar has strongly backed the Centre’s diplomatic response, while also warning of a more aggressive stance against Pakistan in the coming days.
Speaking to Timeline, Kumar said the government’s recent actions, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari border, and cancellation of visas for Pakistani nationals, sent a “strong message” to Islamabad.
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“Pakistan’s 33 percent electricity and 93 percent agriculture and drinking water comes from our Jhelum, Chenab and Indus rivers. We are not compelled to give them the water,” he asserted, adding, “PM Modi has said we’ll find the terrorists from the ends of the earth and destroy the terrorist shield inside Pakistan in its entirety.”
Kumar also invoked the long-standing Kashmir issue, expressing hope that “enslaved Kashmir will also get freedom and enjoy development with independent India.”
While the government has taken swift diplomatic steps in the aftermath, opposition leaders have slammed the Centre over intelligence failures and lack of preparedness. In a closed-door all-party meeting on Thursday, top ministers reportedly admitted that the tourist route where the attack took place was not secured, with no proper Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in place.
When asked about the criticism, Kumar defended the government but acknowledged that improvements were necessary. “The government will investigate and work on improving areas where it lacked. But using this criticism, some people are trying to protect the terrorists,” he told Timeline.
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His comments come days after the gruesome attack in the Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam, where terrorists affiliated with a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot targeted a group of tourists, killing 25 Indians from 14 states and one Nepali national. It is being described as one of the worst civilian attacks in recent years.
(With inputs from Uzma Parveen)
