During the Parliament Monsoon session, the opposition targeted the government concerning the recent Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which occurred on April 22, 2025, and resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. Key opposition figures, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, and Kanimozhi, raised critical questions about security lapses, intelligence failures, and the government's overall handling of the situation.
Priyanka Gandhi, a Congress MP, questioned the absence of security personnel at the Pahalgam site and the intelligence failures that led to the attack. She emphasized the government's accountability for the safety of the country's citizens, asking if the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Defence Minister were taking responsibility. She also countered attempts to communalize the victims, asserting they were all "Bharatiyas" (Indians). Gandhi also criticized the government for allegedly reducing national tragedies to political talking points and evading crucial questions. She connected the Pahalgam attack to previous incidents like Pulwama, Uri, and Pathankot, implying a pattern of security failures.
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav held intelligence agencies responsible for the terror attack, terming it a major security lapse. He questioned the Modi government's claims of improved peace in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370. Yadav also scrutinized the timing of Operation Mahadev, which eliminated the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack, coinciding with the start of the parliamentary debate. Furthermore, he questioned the abrupt ceasefire after Operation Sindoor, suggesting external pressure influenced the decision.
DMK MP Kanimozhi criticized the BJP-led central government, stating it had failed the people of India and was compelled to send opposition MPs for global outreach following Operation Sindoor. She accused the government of turning the situation into a blame game and not addressing the core issues.
The government responded to these criticisms by highlighting Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam attack, as a decisive strike against Pakistan-backed terrorists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the Pahalgam attack as the "height of cruelty" and assured that the perpetrators would not be spared. Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the three terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev were responsible for the Pahalgam attack. He also stated that the terrorists were Pakistani nationals, with two linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that security forces successfully neutralized the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack. He emphasized the role of the armed forces in ensuring India's internal and external security.
The Pahalgam attack involved five militants who targeted tourists in the Baisaran Valley, resulting in 26 fatalities. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy for Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility. The attackers, armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s, selectively targeted Hindu tourists. The incident has been described as the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The attack led to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, with India accusing Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism. India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, expelled Pakistani diplomats, and closed borders, while Pakistan retaliated by suspending the Simla Agreement, restricting trade, and closing airspace. This escalation resulted in a military conflict in May 2025, followed by a ceasefire.
