Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for what he termed as a lack of clarity in identifying the real target following the deadly terrorist strike in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on 22 April.
“The BJP cannot seem to decide who the real target is — the Congress, the terrorists, or Pakistan,” Ramesh said, while urging the government to respond with resolve against those responsible for the violence.
“At a time like this, the focus should be clear. The real target must be the terrorists, and Pakistan should be given a strong response. Attacking Congress is pointless and irresponsible,” he said.
Highlighting efforts made by the opposition in the wake of the attack that claimed 28 lives, Ramesh said the Congress had extended its full support to the Centre and called for cross-party cooperation.
“On April 22, we demanded an all-party meeting. It was held two days later. Even though the Prime Minister did not attend, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were present and emphasised the need for national unity,” he said.
He further said that the party reiterated its position on 24 April, calling for a “firm response” to Pakistan and proposing a special session of Parliament on national security. “There has been no response from the government so far,” he claimed.
Drawing a parallel with the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Ramesh accused the BJP of politicising national tragedies for political gain.
“This is a time for unity and solidarity. This is a time for demonstrating a collective resolve to teach Pakistan a lesson it will never forget,” he said in a post on social media platform X.
He recalled how the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had visited Mumbai just two days after the attacks in 2008 and addressed the media. “What did the BJP do on November 28th, 2008, just two days after the deadly terror attacks began in Mumbai? In a brazenly unprecedented move, the then Gujarat CM went to Mumbai and, in an act of grandstanding, addressed the media,” the Congress leader said.
He added: “The BJP also issued an awful ad that very day in the newspapers. This is history. Let us now be cohesive at this most sensitive time. The country is waiting.”
Ramesh’s remarks came as the political debate continued to intensify following the Congress’s “Gayab” jibe at the Prime Minister and the BJP’s counter-accusations.
The Congress has maintained that it stands by the government in matters of national security but insisted that political posturing must not overshadow the seriousness of the situation.
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