In an emotionally charged and blistering speech in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tore into the Centre over the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, accusing the Modi government of shirking responsibility, evading questions, and treating national tragedies as political opportunities.
Referring to the brutal killing of 26 civilians in Baisaran Valley, Priyanka said, "Most of the people who are sitting in this House today have a security cover... But on that day in Pahalgam, 26 people were killed in front of their families. All those people who were present in Baisaran Valley on that day did not have any security. No matter how many operations you conduct, you cannot hide behind the truth."
She directly confronted the absence of preventive security measures in the region. "Why was not even one security personnel present there? Is the safety and security of the citizens not the responsibility of the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Defence Minister?" she asked, demanding accountability from the nation’s top leadership.
Taking a strong stand against what she described as the government’s tendency to evade responsibility, Priyanka said, "This government always tries to escape the questions... They have no sense of accountability towards the citizens of the nation. The truth is that they have no place for the public in their heart. For them, everything is politics, publicity..."
Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s earlier mention of Sonia Gandhi's tears, Priyanka responded with powerful words rooted in personal loss. "Union Home Minister spoke about my mother's tears today. I want to answer this. My mother's tears fell when terrorists killed my father. Today, when I talk about those 26 people (victims of the Pahalgam attack), it is because I understand their pain."
She also criticised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s address from the previous day, calling it an evasive narrative. "...Yesterday, the Defence Minister spoke for an hour, during which he spoke about terrorism, protecting the country, and also gave a history lesson. But one thing was left out — how did this attack happen?"
