New Delhi: After initially expressing solidarity with the Narendra Modi government in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, opposition leaders are turning up the heat on the Centre — claiming that intelligence failure led to the tragedy.
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the first leader to question the timing of the attack.
Speaking at the state scretariat on Monday, Banerjee said she was forced to break her silence. “How have they (Pakistan) got this encouragement before elections? After Parliament is over, when this type of thing happen, 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?” she asked.
Congress U-turn after Rahul calls for support
The Congress, which had earlier expressed solidarity with the government, revised its stand with senior party leaders pointing fingers at alleged security lapses that led to the attack.
On February 15, a day after the Pulwama strike, Congress president Rahul Gandhi told the press that the Congress and the entire opposition is fully supportive of the government.
“This is a time of mourning, sadness and respect. We fully support the government of India and our security forces. We won’t get into any other conversation apart from the fact that we stand by our soldiers,” he had said at a press conference.
Congress general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also cancelled her press conference in Lucknow following the attack.
However, on February 19, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi questioned the security lapses, including the ‘ridiculous idea’ of moving 2,500 jawans in 78 vehicles — in a single attempt.
Singhvi tweeted that the Congress was highly responsible and restrained post-Pulwama.
1/2 #Cong highly responsible &v restrained post #Pulwama. #Modi pre 2014 made highly provocative statements incl resignation calls 4then #PM at smallest incident. We do not do so post #uri post #parl attack post #Pulwama. Bt huge security lapses hv to 2b plugged 4no recurrence
— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) February 19, 2019
2/2 such huge security lapses incl ridiculous idea of moving 2500 jawans in 78 vehicles at one go (2) allowing any civilian vehicle on road simultaneously (3) ignoring direct written intelligence reports re Jaish suicide attack since dec ‘18 (4) is this attn 2detail by 56” chest?
— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) February 19, 2019
Other Congress leaders like Kapil Sibal and Randeep Singh Surjewala have also slammed the government over the terror attack.
Although the BJP had also initially said that parties should rise above politics, BJP president Amit Shah openly politicised the Pulwama attack while addressing a rally in Assam’s Lakhimpur, Sunday.
“I pay my tributes to Assam’s son Maneswar Basumatary, along with the other CRPF personnel. Their sacrifice won’t go in vain as it’s not the Congress government which is at the Centre, it is the BJP which is at the Centre,” he said.
Also read: After Pulwama, Bharat Ke Veer donations for central forces hit record Rs 26.45 cr in 4 days
More voices attack BJP
On Wednesday, in a teleconference with his party leaders, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu said there is apprehension among people about the Pulwama attack and the threat to national security because of the ruling party’s inefficiency.
Calling for strengthening law and order at the border, he said that the country will not “tolerate playing with the Army for political gains”.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was absent from the all-party meeting called to condemn the attack on 14 February.
Speaking at a press conference at the CPI(M)’s office in Hyderabad Wednesday, Yechury said that at a time when the country is united, BJP is politicising the tragedy and trying to reap electoral benefits.
Opposition leaders told ThePrint that it was their united decision to exercise restraint and be supportive of the government till the last rites of the soldiers and the end of the mourning period.
Even at the all-party meeting called by the government on 17 February, the resolution that was passed did not name Pakistan while condemning terrorism in all forms and the support it gets from across the border.
Also read: How incidents like Pulwama terror attack catch liberals on the wrong foot