At all-party meeting, opposition conveys support to government for any action over Pahalgam terror attack; officials tell how "lapse" happened

New Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): Opposition parties on Thursday conveyed their unanimous support to the government at an all-party meeting over any action it takes in the wake of terror attack in Pahalgam, with officials explaining how “the lapse” took place.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said after the meeting that the government informed about the decisions taken at Cabinet Committee on Security, which was held a day after the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
“The Defence Minister informed about the incident that happened in Pahalgam and the actions taken by the Indian government in the CCS meeting. This incident is very sad. Due to which everyone in the country is worried, keeping this in mind, the Indian government has also expressed its intention to take more stringent action today,” Rijiju said.
“The meeting went very well, and in fact, all the political leaders unanimously supported the action taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) with regard to Pakistan. The Government made it clear in the meeting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government will have zero tolerance towards terrorist activities in our country and all the leaders expressed their solidarity with the Government for all the actions being taken by the Government and all the actions to be taken in the future,” he added.
He said the meeting was briefed by IB and Home Ministry officals on “how the terror incident happened and how lapse occurred”.
Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister and BJP chief JP Nadda attended the meeting. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav, NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule, NCP’s Shrikant Shinde, NCP leaders Praful Patel and Shrikant Shinde, RJD’s Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, BJD’s Sasmit Patra, Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh, Trinmool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyay, YSCRP leader PV Mithun Reddy (YSRC), BJP’s Anil Baluni, TDP’s Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Indian Union Muslim League’s Haris Beeran and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi were among those present.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said opposition parties gave full support to the government over any action it plans.
“Everyone condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The opposition has given full support to the government to take any action,” he said.
Kharge said all parties condemned the terror attack. “We said that efforts should be made to maintain peace in Jammu and Kashmir,” he stated.
He also said later that it is important for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be present in such an important meeting.
Kharge also said there has been “a security lapse”.
“It is very important for PM Modi to be present in such an important meeting because the decision taken by PM Modi is final… How did the security lapse happen despite three-tier security?… This is a security lapse and the government did not act promptly in response to the terror attack… We will support the government’s decision in the nation’s best interest. We condemn this incident…We want to send a message that the nation is united,” he said.
Owaisi said the central government can take action against the nation which shelters the terrorist groups.
“The international law also permits us to do an air and naval blockade in self-defence against Pakistan and impose sanctions on Pakistan on arms sales…Why was the CRPF not deployed at the Baisaran meadow?… Why did the quick reaction team take one hour to reach there and they shot people by asking their religion…The false propaganda against the Kashmiris and Kashmiri students should be stopped… I condemn the way the terrorists killed people by asking about their religion…It is very good that the Indus Water Treaty has been suspended but where will we keep the water?… We will support whatever decision the central government takes…This is not a political issue,” he said.
Sanjay Singh said the country “is angry, sad and the nation wants the central government to give a befitting reply to the terrorists in their language”.
“The way they have killed the innocent people, their camps should be destroyed and action should also be taken against Pakistan…This incident took place on April 22 and April 20, that place without the information of security agencies was opened…The security agencies had no information about it…We have demanded that the accountability needs to be fixed and action should be taken as to why there was a security lapse,” he said.
Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said the incident that happened is condemnable.
“Two people from Andhra Pradesh were killed in this attack. This kind of incident should not have happened…Pakistan and terrorist organisations will face the repercussions. When it comes to supporting the Union government, every party is on the same page. We are in support of the Indian government to take stringent action on terrorism, Pakistan,” he said.
Shrikant Shinde said everyone was given a chance to speak in the meeting.
“But the most important thing was that all the political parties said that they stand with the government. Everyone said that whatever decision the government takes, we all stand with it with full strength… Whatever activities are going on, whatever different terrorist organizations are working, Pakistan is supporting them. Therefore, the work of giving a befitting reply to Pakistan should be done through the government. Our party stands with the government,” he said.
Haris Beeran said the opposition parties and the leaders of the parties present there strongly condemned this incident and also reiterated that they will support the government in whatever decision the government takes.
“They also asked the government to give a befitting reply to the act of the terrorist and we will support in whatever decision the government takes…We are on the same page with the Prime Minister. We stand united as brothers and sisters of India and we will ensure that nothing is going to happen which will hamper the social fabric of the country,” he said.
Sasmit Patra said BJD urged the government to take all necessary steps to ensure that the perpetrators of this gruesome attack are brought to justice.
“Biju Janta reaffirms its full cooperation and support to the Government in all its efforts concerning the national security of the nation…The overall consensus that has come out of this meeting is that all the political parties are together on this matter and we support the government fully in whatever actions it wants to take to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
Sources said the government admitted that there had been a lapse and told the meeting that the hotel operators started sending tourists to the Baisaran area without giving information to security agencies.
They said the senior officials also briefed about the steps taken to beef up security. (ANI)

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