The Opposition questioned the government as to why Baisaran valley was unguarded
During Thursday evening’s all-party meeting, the opposition posed pointed questions to the Center regarding the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The government announced a series of retaliatory measures against Pakistan the day before the meeting, which was called by Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty was suspended, Pakistani military attachés were expelled, diplomatic ties were downgraded, and the Attari land-transit point was closed.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition formally posed the question, and a number of other people agreed, including Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and Sanjay Singh, a member of the Aam Aadmi Party. The opposition questioned why no security guards were stationed at the attack scene.
At the all-party meeting on Thursday, government officials stated that they did not anticipate terrorists striking Pahalgam because there was no precedent. They also called the failure to foresee Tuesday’s departure from the norm a “lapse”.
âIB (Intelligence Bureau) and home ministry officials briefed floor leaders about the incident…â said parliamentary affairs minister, Kiren Rijiju.
Rahul Gandhi, in the Lok Sabha, declared, “The government has the full support of the opposition to take any action”.
Never before had terrorists attacked any tourists who were visiting Pahalgam and Anantnag, as it has a direct effect on livelihoods.
According to the government, the Baisaran region is traditionally guarded before the yearly Amarnath Yatra, which starts in June. At that point, the road is formally opened. Security personnel are then sent in to protect pilgrims stopping at Baisaran on their way to the Amarnath cave shrine.
The Center claims that local tour companies started bringing tourists to the area on April 20. This is long before the security forces were gathered for the pilgrimage season. During the meeting, government representatives emphasized that no troop deployment had occurred. This was because the local administration had not been notified of the early start of tourist visits.
The opposition also questioned why, given India’s lack of storage capacity, the Center had suspended the Indus Waters Treaty.
In response, government representatives stated that the action was a strategic and symbolic gesture rather than one with immediate consequences. “The suspension of the treaty demonstrated the government’s resolve to act strictly. The purpose of this action is to convey a powerful message. Additionally, this decision indicates the government’s future stance,” the government stated.
The meeting began with a summary of the current state of security by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. In his 20-minute presentation, Tapan Deka, director of the Intelligence Bureau, discussed the Pahalgam attack’s timeline, intelligence contributions, and actions since the incident.
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