Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday strongly demanded action against those responsible for the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. He said that the attackers must face consequences and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send a clear message that India will not tolerate such acts of violence.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, just hours after the government decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census, Gandhi stressed that the Prime Minister must not delay action. “The Prime Minister must act clearly and quickly. There should be no confusion,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, visited the family of Shubham Dwivedi, one of the victims who died in the Pahalgam terror attack.
He pointed out that 26 people were killed in cold blood and insisted that the guilty must be held accountable. "It’s very clear who is responsible. They must pay a price. The Prime Minister has to act. The action must be strong, and there should be no uncertainty," he said. Gandhi added that while the Prime Minister can decide the timing of his response, he must act soon.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level security meeting on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was also present.
This meeting took place just a few days after the Cabinet Committee on Security met on April 23, following the attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed (some reports later mentioned 28).
According to government sources, PM Modi emphasized India’s firm resolve to crush terrorism. He expressed full confidence in the Indian Armed Forces and said they have complete operational freedom to decide how and when to respond — including the targets and method. The government also assured the public that the terrorists and the planners behind the attack will be severely punished.
Following the attack, the government convened an all-party meeting, where opposition parties, including the Congress, expressed full support for any firm steps taken against the attackers.
In a briefing to the Cabinet Committee on Security, it was revealed that the terror attack had links across the border. It was also pointed out that the incident came at a time when Jammu and Kashmir had successfully held elections and was progressing economically.
To respond to this and send a message to Pakistan — which India accuses of supporting cross-border terrorism — the Indian government announced several strong measures, including putting the Indus Waters Treaty on hold.
At the same press conference, Rahul Gandhi also welcomed the government's decision to include caste enumeration in the next census. However, he said the government should clearly specify a timeline for when it will be done.
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Gandhi pointed out that the state of Telangana had successfully conducted a caste census, and this could serve as a model for the national effort.
"The Congress has been demanding a caste census for a long time. Suddenly, after 11 years, the government has agreed. We support the decision, but we want to know when it will happen," he said.
He added, "In Parliament, we promised to conduct a caste census and remove the 50% cap on reservations. Prime Minister Modi used to say there are only four castes. Now suddenly the government has accepted caste census — we welcome it, but a deadline must be given."
Gandhi also said that Telangana and Bihar had both conducted caste surveys, but the Telangana model was more effective. He offered Congress's support in helping the government design and implement the caste census properly.
He further explained that the caste census is only the first step toward a broader goal. “We want to bring a new development model that goes beyond just reservations. We want to ask fundamental questions about the role and share of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in the country’s progress,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi also reminded the public of another promise from the Congress manifesto — reservation under Article 15(5) for private educational institutions. He demanded that the BJP-led NDA government start implementing it, saying the law already exists.
On the same day, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by PM Modi, officially decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census.
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