‘Despite intel, security lapses led to 26 deaths, will Shah take responsibility’

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC), on Friday, questioned the significant security lapse despite prior intelligence inputs. The ruling party in Bengal also demanded to know whether Union Home Minister Amit Shah would take responsibility for the loss of innocent lives.

Taking to X, TMC said: “In the wake of the #PahalgamTerroristAttack, the Centre was forced to admit massive security lapses at the all-party meet. Intel was there. Heavy tourist footfall was expected. Yet, zero security deployment. Will HM @AmitShah own up to the AVOIDABLE loss of 26 innocent lives?” Several TMC leaders, on Friday, attacked PM Modi for skipping an all-party meeting on Thursday and joining an election rally in Bihar. “The dead got five minutes. The ballot got the rest,” the ruling party in Bengal posted on X, calling out Modi’s 48-hour silence followed by a fleeting mention of the killings in a 28-minute campaign speech in Bihar. Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said the PM’s refusal to engage with the Opposition in a moment of national crisis was “strange”. “When the country is numbed & grieving over a major terror attack in #Pahalgam, when opposition parties have given their full support to the Government of India for the actions it wishes to take, for @narendramodi to stay away from the All Party Meeting and instead attend a campaign rally in Bihar within 48 hours of Pahalgam is strange. In an hour of grave crisis, surely the Prime Minister must be the one taking the opposition into confidence,” she posted on X.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale stated: “Just days ago, 26 innocent Indians were murdered by terrorists. And, all political parties came together last evening to support the Union Govt in responding to the attack. The LoPs from BOTH Houses of Parliament were present. But Modi didn’t feel that 26 Indian lives are important. Because, for the shameless man Modi, every death (in uniform or of a civilian) is merely an opportunity to ask for votes & to campaign for elections.” TMC MP Mahua Moitra stated: “How does PM @narendramodi have gall to skip All Party meeting on Pahalgam & instead go electioneering in Bihar? To tell us how only voting @BJP4India can protect our borders? Shameless.” Taking to X, senior party leader Bratya Basu posted: “Don’t ask us for votes if you can’t protect us” – That’s what grieving families are telling @BJP4India leaders. No propaganda can silence the fury of those who lost loved ones due to the Modi Govt.’s indifference and apathy.”

TMC senior leader Shashi Panja stated: “The Modi Govt. has failed on every front: Ignored prior intelligence; No security personnel deployed; PM Modi skipped all-party meeting. Now, @BJP4India is being confronted with tough questions by the families who lost their loved ones.”