Modi Admits Security Lapse in Pahalgam Terror Attack

The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, admitted to security lapses in the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists. During a closed-door all-party meeting, government representatives acknowledged that something had gone wrong, with a ruling party leader mentioning lapses needing to be identified.

The meeting was convened to brief opposition leaders about the attack that occurred in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Opposition parties raised concerns over the failure of security protocols, questioning where the security forces and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were during the attack.

In response, the government claimed that local authorities had not informed security agencies before opening the Baisaran area near Pahalgam, which remains restricted until the Amarnath Yatra in June. Officials explained the area was a 45-minute uphill walk and there was no standard operating procedure (SOP) to handle emergencies quickly.

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An Internal Failure?

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi expressed support for any action taken by the government in response to the attack. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the security lapses, emphasising that if terrorists could reach Pahalgam, other cities like Srinagar were also at risk. Former army chief General VP Malik described the attack as a failure of intelligence agencies, questioning their absence during peak tourist season.

The meeting was attended by top ministers including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Key opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Asaduddin Owaisi were also present.

Meanwhile, the Congress Central Working Committee (CWC) accused Pakistan of masterminding the attack and called for a thorough analysis of intelligence and security failures. The CWC also expressed concern about the BJP exploiting the tragedy for political gain.

In a related incident, a senior journalist was assaulted by BJP workers while covering a protest about the attack in IIOJK’s Kathua district. The journalist, Rakesh Sharma, had questioned security lapses during the protest.

One of the victims, Shital Kalathiya, whose husband was killed in the attack, criticised the lack of security and called on politicians and the government to secure the futures of the families of terror victims.