Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has levelled serious allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming the PM received intelligence inputs about a possible terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir days before the April 22 assault in Pahalgam, yet failed to act decisively.
Addressing media on Tuesday, Kharge stated that an intelligence report was sent to the Prime Minister three days before the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives when terrorists opened fire on tourists. The Congress chief further alleged that Modi cancelled his scheduled visit to the Union Territory after receiving the alert.
“There is an intelligence failure, the government has accepted it and they will resolve it. If they knew this, why didn’t they do anything? I got information that three days before the attack, an intelligence report was sent to PM Modi, and therefore he cancelled his programme to visit Kashmir,” Kharge said, adding that he also came across the information in a newspaper report.
Government Admits Security Lapse in Pahalgam Attack
Kharge’s remarks follow revelations from a closed-door all-party meeting held on April 24, during which the central government reportedly admitted to a serious security lapse in the lead-up to the attack.
Meanwhile, multiple reports suggested that in response to questions raised by Opposition leaders, the government acknowledged that local authorities failed to inform security agencies before opening the Baisaran area in Anantnag district — a zone traditionally restricted until the Amarnath Yatra in June.
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“They said they would improve it. Our question is when you know about it, then why were good arrangements not made?” Kharge questioned.
Is Kharge Claim Correct?
According to an official, intelligence agencies had flagged the potential targeting of tourists, particularly those staying near the Zabarwan foothills in the outskirts of Srinagar, days before the deadly attack. The inputs reportedly pointed to a coordinated plan by terrorists to disrupt peace in the Valley.
There were also alerts suggesting an attack might be timed with PM Modi’s scheduled visit to flag off the first train from Katra to Srinagar on April 19. However, government officials later stated the Prime Minister’s visit was postponed due to an adverse weather forecast predicting strong winds in the Katra region.
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The timing of Modi’s cancellation and the subsequent terror attack has prompted questions from the Opposition, with Kharge demanding clarity and accountability from the central government.
