NEW DELHI: Indian Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled a scheduled trip to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) last month after receiving intelligence about a possible terror attack, just three days before the Pahalgam incident.
Speaking at a rally in Jharkhand, Kharge said the BJP-led central government itself acknowledged the attack was due to an intelligence failure. “If they knew, why didn’t they act?” he asked, referencing media reports that suggested Modi received an intelligence warning which prompted his cancellation.
Kharge expressed Congress’s support for any government action against Pakistan following the attack, stating, “The country is supreme.” However, he questioned why no additional security was arranged in Pahalgam despite the warning.
According to reports, intelligence agencies had alerted local forces about a potential threat near Modi’s planned visit to Kashmir on April 19. Though officials cited bad weather for the cancellation, the terror attack occurred days later in Pahalgam, about 90 kilometres from Srinagar.
As India ramps up diplomatic pressure on Pakistan, Islamabad has alleged that a military strike by India is imminent. In response, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared it his responsibility to retaliate decisively against threats to national security.
Kharge further criticised the government, asking why intelligence alerts were not shared with local police or used to protect tourists. “There was a devastating attack, and the government admitted intelligence failure—why wasn’t security strengthened?”
His remarks come as Congress grapples with internal debate over the party’s response to the Pahalgam attack. The leadership has urged members to follow the official Congress Working Committee line. Recently, the party also removed a controversial post showing a headless image of Modi with the word “Gayab” (missing), which had stirred backlash.
BJP spokesperson Kesavan condemned Kharge’s comments as “treacherous,” demanding an apology and greater transparency on the intelligence inputs behind his claims.
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