Kharge claims PM Modi cancelled J&K visit after intel report, fuming BJP claps back

New Delhi:  Amid the heightened state of activity in top political circles over possible reprisal against Pakistan, a statement by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge about the Prime Minister’s cancelled visit to J&K last month has stirred a hornet’s nest.

Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday claimed that PM Modi cancelled his proposed trip to Kashmir last month after getting an intelligence report, about three days before the ghastly Pahalgam attack.

He asked why the government failed to act in time and didn’t send extra forces to deal with the menace, despite being in the know of intel inputs.

“When you got the information, you cancelled your program but did not send more forces to protect tourists there,” the Congress chief alleged.

Kharge made these remarks while addressing the ‘Samvidhan Bachao’ rally in Jharkhand’s Ranchi on Tuesday.

He also claimed that the government admitted to security and intelligence lapses during the all-party meet and asked, “Why Centre can’t be held accountable for the loss of innocent lives in Baisaran meadows?”

BJP was, however, quick to clap back at the Congress party over extremely sensitive and serious charges levelled against the Prime Minister.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said that the opposition parties were playing into the hands of Pakistan and hence speaking their language.

“Till now, leaders like Saifuddin Soz, Siddaramaiah, and Charanjit Singh Channi were speaking up for Pakistan, but now Kharge has also joined the list in mocking his own nation and own government,” he remarked.

He further said, “In the all-party meet, Congress talked about national unity, but soon after that, it went on an anti-India narrative by compromising on India’s security and lowering the morale of our armed forces.

“It is the same party which gave a clean chit to Pakistan and blamed our own during the Pulwama terror attacks in 2019, the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 and also the Samjhauta blast,” he pointed out.

He also claimed that the Congress party was worried about banning Pakistani YouTubers and charged it with “replacing them with their own anti-India rhetoric.”

“The comments by Congress leaders are being played up in the Pakistani media and also generating national attention there,” he said.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit the valley on April 19, for launching the first train from Katra to Srinagar, however, it was cancelled, just days before the slated event, citing adverse weather conditions.

–IANS