New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerejee demanded an investigation into the 2019 Pulwama attack Monday, questioning the “intelligence failure” that ultimately led to the death of 40 jawans.
Addressing the media in the state secretariat Monday, Banerjee said: “Our jawans were killed. I salute our jawans. We love our motherland. They sacrificed their lives for our motherland. They dedicated and devoted their lives for our country. This was to create fake nationalism. We are all patriots. There was an intelligence failure. One day the truth will come out. We want an investigation.”
Banerjee was referring to an interview given by then Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik last week to TheWire.
Forty Indian security personnel had died on 14 February, 2019 when a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
The bomber was local Pulwama youth Adil Ahmed Dar, and the responsibility for the attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.
In the interview last week, Satyapal Malik said Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked him to remain silent on the attack.
“CRPF people (had) asked for aircraft to ferry their people because such a large convoy generally doesn’t travel by road, but the Home Ministry refused to give in to the request,” Malik said.
This isn’t the first time the Bengal chief minister has aired her doubts about the attack. Soon after the bombing, Banerjee had questioned its timing.
“How have they (Pakistan) got this encouragement before elections? After Parliament is over, when this type of thing happens, as a citizen of the country, I am in doubt. Why have we not taken action against Pakistan earlier? Why at the time of elections, you tell me?” Mamata asked as the Lok Sabha polls were due at that time.
Also read: Amit Shah has no right to say TMC govt won’t survive beyond 2025: Mamata