(New Delhi, Feb15, 2019): The Congress on Thursday accused the Modi government of "failing" to check terrorism emanating from Pakistan and remaining a "mute spectator" to attacks on security personnel, after at least 39 CRPF men were killed in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir''s Pulwama district.
Terming the attack in Pulwama as an "act of cowardice", Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned the government policy on terrorism and Pakistan, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not compromise on national security. "In the past 55 months, Pakistan committed more than 5,000 ceasefire violations at the Line of Control and the International Border -- a whopping 1000 per cent increase compared to the last 55 months of the UPA," he said.
"Where is the ''56 inch chest''? Where is the ''laal aankh'' (red eyes)?" Surjewala asked. He claimed this is the 18th major terror attack under the Modi government. Every day India''s jawans are killed on the borders facing terrorists coming from Pakistan or in skirmishes and attacks that happened unprovoked from the Pakistan Army, yet the government remains a mere spectator, the Congress leader told reporters.
"448 jawans have been martyred in Jammu and Kashmir alone, while 280 civilians have died in Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks ... Yet, unfortunately, prime minister has more faith in the dreaded ISI which is the benefactor, protector and harbinger of terrorism and invites them to investigate the Pathankot air base attack," he alleged. Later, Surjewala tweeted that the Pulwama terror attack was a bigger attack than Uri and the nation was "angry and anguished".
"We reiterate our deepest condolences to the family of martyrs and pray for the injured," he said. This horrific attack in Jammu and Kashmir is a testimony to the Modi government''s utter failure on national security, Surjewala alleged. "Zero political action and Zero policy to tackle terror has led to an alarming security situation. BJP ruled J&K for 4 years. BJP rules J&K via Governor''s rule. BJP plunged J&K into deep turmoil," he said in a series of tweets.
"Is it not true that 18 Major terror attacks have taken place on our security installations including CRPF camps, Army camps, Air Force station & military stations --Gurdaspur, Udhampur, Pampore, Uri, Nagrota, Pathankot, Amarnath Yatra attack, Sunjwan Army Camp?" he said. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack that took place about 20 km from Srinagar. Surjewala said China thwarted multiple attempts to get Jaish-e-Mohammad''s chief Maulana Masood Azhar named as a designated international terrorist by the UN. The BJP government had escorted and released JeM''s Masood Azhar at Kandahar, he alleged.
The Congress spokesperson also alleged that it was the most "weak" government in the history of India which has "utterly failed in defending India''s borders and in checking terrorism coming from Pakistan". He also slammed Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju''s remarks there has been no major terror attack in the country in the last four-and-half-years due to the action of intelligence agencies.
"The tragic part is that the home minister of the country is most ill-informed and that is the reason why terrorist outfits and terrorists including the ISI and the Pakistan Army continue to act unabated. Is it not true there have been 17 major terror attacks across Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab? Does the minister not have this much of general knowledge, "Does the minister not know that his colleague replied in Parliament and said that the number of skirmishes and ceasefire violation have doubled in 2018 compared to 2017," Surjewala said.
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