The opposition will be taken into confidence by the BJP-led Union government, which is also thinking of hosting an all-party meeting.
Following the horrific slaughter in Pahalgam, the Congress sent a strong message of unity on Wednesday, stating that partisan politics are not appropriate at this time and indicating that it will support the government in prosecuting the perpetrators. In addition, the BJP-led Union government has stated that it will hold the opposition in high regard and is thinking of organizing an all-party conference to inform them of the details of the attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including a Navy officer.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his party’s great pain by the incident in a long post on X, calling it a “direct assault on the unity and integrity of our nation.” The Congress Working Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body, will meet on Thursday morning to examine the incident, Mr. Kharge said, adding that he had spoken with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday evening.
The Indian State is being directly attacked by this. The whole country is stunned. The blame has been attributed to a terrorist organization in Pakistan. We have to respond appropriately. We shall fight because we are all one. Claims without action or without appropriate management and finger-pointing are unacceptable,” he said.
In addition, Mr. Kharge requested the Center to meet with representatives from all political parties in order to “take some advice” and to take action to guarantee the safety of visitors prior to the Amarnath Yatra.
We implore the administration to pursue the terrorists with all of its might. It has now been nearly twenty-two hours. The administration must make every effort to keep visitors’ trust in Jammu and Kashmir’s security measures. In just a few days, the Amarnath Yatra, which attracts thousands of people each year, will start. Such attacks have previously occurred during the Yatra as well. Therefore, security should be tightened and the Yatris should be adequately secured,” he added.
The head of the Congress said the government should assist individuals who rely on tourism, pointing out its significance to the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. “Now, the Indian government ought to assist them. Right now, we are all one. He emphasized, “We will stand together against the terrorists.”
“We also expect the government to hold discussions with all political parties to address the challenge of terrorism in a spirit of consensus once the necessary actions have been taken and full information has been obtained,” the president of the Congress said, emphasizing that the Congress “does not want politics” in this situation. To get some guidance, they ought to organize an All-Party meeting. We don’t want politics in this scenario, and this isn’t it.
“To eradicate terrorism at its source, the Congress Party is dedicated to working in tandem with the government. Our top leadership has even given their lives in the struggle against terrorism and separatism, which we have continuously opposed,” he declared.
The Government’s Position
According to senior officials in the Union government, all parties will be told on the circumstances of the attack and the opposition would be taken into confidence.
According to a source, a senior minister could be requested to address opposition leaders and provide them with all the information regarding the Pahalgam incident. “The government is also considering calling an all-party meeting to brief the opposition,” the source stated, adding that a decision on the matter will be made following the Cabinet Committee on Security meetings and the return of Home Minister Amit Shah to Delhi.
Following the Pulwama assault in February 2019, the Modi government also convened an all-party conference, which was presided over by Rajnath Singh, the Home Minister at the time.
