Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has issued a strong condemnation, labeling the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, as a "cowardly act of terror" and a direct assault on India's unity and integrity.
On April 22, 2025, around 2:30 PM, militants opened fire on a group of tourists at Baisaran meadow, near Pahalgam, resulting in the deaths of 26 individuals, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen, and injuring 17 others.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy for the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Emphasising the need for national unity, Kharge urged the government to convene an all-party meeting to address the challenge of terrorism.
“This is not a time for partisan politics. It is a moment for collective resolve to ensure justice for those who lost their lives and for their grieving families, by bringing the perpetrators of this terror attack to justice,” he said. “This is a direct attack on the Indian State. The entire nation is in shock. A Pakistani terrorist organization has claimed responsibility. We must give a befitting response. We are all one and we will fight. There should not be claims without doing or without properly managing and finger-pointing,” he added.
He recalled the Chittisinghpura massacre of 2000, noting that this recent attack is among the most brazen attempts by terrorists and separatist forces to destabilise the region.
Kharge said he has been in communication with Union home minister Amit Shah and the J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, among other senior leaders.
He announced that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) will convene on April 24 at 11 AM at the AICC office in Delhi to discuss the situation and formulate a response.
Highlighting the impact on tourism, a vital component of Jammu and Kashmir's economy, Kharge urged the government to take immediate steps to restore confidence among tourists and ensure their safety, especially with the upcoming Amarnath Yatra.
“The government must do everything possible to maintain tourists’ confidence in the security arrangements of Jammu and Kashmir. The Amarnath Yatra is about to begin in a few days, and every year, lakhs of tourists take part in it. Earlier there have been such attacks in the Yatra also. So the Yatris should be protected well and security should be tightened,” he said.
Earlier Wednesday, Omar Abdullah said, “It’s heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after yesterday’s tragic terror attack in Pahalgam but at the same time we totally understand why people would want to leave.”
While DGCA & the Ministry of Civil Aviation are working to organise extra flights, NH-44 between Srinagar & Jammu has been reconnected for traffic in a single direction,” said the J&K chief minister.
The Congress president has also called for comprehensive support to the local population, whose livelihoods have been affected.
Kharge, who is from Karnataka, said he has reached out to the families of victims from Karnataka, including Manjunath and Bharat Bhushan, offering his condolences.
“I offer my deepest condolences to their families and to all those who have lost loved ones in this tragic incident,” he said.
He commended the efforts of Karnataka's labour minister Santosh Lad, who is assisting affected tourists and arranging their return.
