Security Lapses in IIOJK: Congress Slams Modi Government Over Pahalgam Attack

The deadly Pahalgam attack has not only exposed a massive security failure in IIOJK but has also sparked fierce criticism of Indian Prime Minister Modi’s glaring indifference to the incident.

Indian Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has strongly condemned the Modi-led government following the deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Speaking at a function in Bengaluru, Kharge revealed that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah admitted during an all-party meeting that a critical security lapse was responsible for the incident.

Despite a supposed three-tier security arrangement, the government failed to protect tourists visiting the Valley, resulting in the deaths of tourists and injuries to many others. This outcome has triggered serious questions about the Indian government’s competence and sincerity in managing the volatile situation in IIOJK.

Kharge did not stop at criticizing the security failure. He also took direct aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting his absence from the crucial all-party meeting convened to discuss the Pahalgam attack. According to Kharge, leaders from all major political parties, including Rahul Gandhi, were present, yet the Prime Minister chose not to attend.

“The first question I raised at the meeting was about the Prime Minister’s absence,” Kharge stated, emphasizing that when the nation faces a tragedy of this magnitude, the Prime Minister must lead from the front, not retreat into silence.

The Congress President further lambasted Modi for prioritizing his election rally in Bihar over attending the all-party meeting. “If he (Modi) is delivering election speeches while skipping crucial meetings on national tragedies, it shows he is not serious about the loss of lives,” Kharge remarked bitterly.

Kharge’s statements reflect a growing sentiment among many political observers that the Modi government is more concerned with electoral gains than with the real issues plaguing the country, especially in conflict-ridden areas like IIOJK. The perceived indifference only deepens the wounds of those affected by the violence and sends a dangerous message of political expediency over human lives.

The failure to prevent the Pahalgam attack—and the callous political response to it—underscores broader concerns about governance, accountability, and the long-standing mishandling of the Kashmir issue. Kharge’s criticism lays bare the widening gap between the ruling elite’s political ambitions and the urgent needs of the people they are supposed to serve.

Until there is genuine accountability and leadership at the highest levels, incidents like Pahalgam will continue to expose not just lapses in security but the moral bankruptcy of India’s IIOJK policy.