Congress Urges Centre to ‘Teach Pakistan a Lesson’ After Pahalgam Attack, Calls for Unity and Clarity
The Congress on Friday passed a resolution urging the Central government to act with “firmness and strategic clarity” against Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting that the neighbouring country must be taught a lesson for its continued “export of terror.”
The resolution, adopted unanimously at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), also called on citizens to rise above political divides and demonstrate unity in the face of terror.
“This is the time for demonstrating our collective will as a nation to teach Pakistan a lesson and curb terrorism decisively,” the resolution stated, referring to the April 22 terror strike in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
“The masterminds and perpetrators of the cowardly attack must face full consequences for their actions,” it added.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge chaired the CWC meeting, which was attended by top party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, and Jairam Ramesh.
Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel slammed the Centre for its delay in taking action. “Ten days have passed. Where is the Prime Minister who shows ‘red eyes’ and flaunts a 56-inch chest?” he asked at a press conference.
The CWC called for moral and institutional support for victims’ families, including long-term rehabilitation and mental health care. “Compensation alone is not enough,” the resolution said.
Echoing this, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi demanded accountability from the Centre. “The country is waiting to see what action the government will take. No one has seen the so-called surgical strikes either,” he said, questioning the 2019 Pulwama response.
Kharge said the opposition stands united with the government on matters of national security, but criticised the Centre for failing to outline a clear response strategy. “We will act unitedly against any threat to India’s unity and integrity,” he stated.
In a separate resolution, the Congress also demanded a time-bound, transparent implementation of the caste survey, following the Centre’s recent announcement to include caste enumeration in the next census.
“No details or financial allocations have been provided. We hope this doesn’t end up as another BJP ‘jumla’ like the Women’s Reservation Bill,” the CWC said.
The party reiterated its demand to remove the 50% cap on reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs, and urged urgent implementation of Article 15(5) to ensure reservations in private educational institutions.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh urged the Centre to follow the Telangana model if it was serious about caste enumeration. “This is about a fake 56-inch chest versus 56 questions of social justice,” he said.
Leaders like Sachin Pilot and Saptagiri Ulaka also criticised the Centre’s delay in defining timelines and methodology for the caste census. “Will this be another forgotten promise like Rs 15 lakh or two crore jobs?” Ulaka asked.
On April 22, a terror strike in the Pahalgam region of Jammu and Kashmir claimed 26 lives, sparking nationwide outrage. While the government has not yet named the perpetrators, intelligence agencies have hinted at Pakistan-based outfits being involved.
The Congress has since mounted pressure on the government to take immediate diplomatic and military measures to deter future attacks.
With the Lok Sabha polls underway and national security dominating the discourse, political observers expect heightened scrutiny of the Modi government’s counter-terror response.
“The public demands swift justice and a united front. Delayed action risks eroding public trust,” said defence analyst Lt Gen DS Hooda (Retd).
The Congress, while aligning itself with the national interest, has made it clear that the Centre must act—both in policy and in accountability.
