New Delhi [India], July 29 : Congress leader and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday tore into the Centre over the Pahalgam attack, alleging that the government did not provide proper security to the tourists visiting Baisaran meadow in Jammu and Kashmir, which ultimately led to the killing of 26 tourists on April 22 this year.
Speaking during the ongoing debate on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha, the Congress leader quoted the widow of Shubham Dwivedi who witnessed her husband being shot dead by terrorists in Pahalagam.
"The whole time when the people were being killed mercilessly, she did not see one security personnel" Priyanka Gandhi said.
"When citizens were being killed one by one for an hour, there wasn't single security personnel. I saw my world ending in front of my eyes, there was not a single security guard. Why was there no security there?" Shubham's widow, Ashanya said as quoted by Priyanka Gandhi.
"I saw my world finishing before my eyes, not one security guard was there. I can see that the government left us like orphans there," the Congress leader said.
"Why was security not there? Why was there not a soldier? Did the government not know that there is daily footfall here? They know that the way to the place is through the forest, what if something else happened then people could not get out. There was not even one facility for treatment, first aid or even security. The people were left alone. They went on the trust of the government, and the government left them on god's will."
Amid brief slogans raised by Opposition MPs shouting "shame shame," the Wayanad MP asked "who is responsible for the (Pahalgam) attack?"
"I want to ask who is responsible for this? Who is responsible for the security of the people? Is the Prime Minister not responsible? Is the Home minister or Defence Minister not responsible? Is NIA not responsible?"
Continuing her attack, she said that just two weeks before Union Home Minister visited Jammu and Kashmir to review its security, and said that "victory has been achieved" against terrorism.
"Just two weeks before the attack, our Home Minister went to Kashmir, to see and the security arrangements in the region and he said that victory has been achieved over terrorism," the Congress leader said.
Similarly, she highlighted how Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha accepted responsibility for the attack, but was not questioned further by anyone.
"Three months later, the Jammu and Kashmir Governor said in an interview while walking, yes, there was irresponsibility in Baisaran valley, I take responsibility for that. The topic starts and finishes there, no one questions him," she said.
She also pointed out that while Union Home Minister Amit Shah had criticised the previous UPA-led government for over 25 terror attacks in the countries during their tenure; similarly 'The Resistance Front' (TRF), who initially claimed responsibility for the attack, carried out 25 attacks within 2020-2025.
"Few days after (Pahalgam attack), a terrorist organisation, TRF, claims responsibility for the attack. Who are they? They started in 2017 and started their terrorism work in Kashmir in 2020. Between 2020, to April 22, 2025, they did 25 terror attacks. When the Home minister counted the terror attacks during UPA's tenure, he counted around 25 too, in his speech. This organisation itself has done 25 attacks between 2020 to 2025," she said.
Earlier, speaking in the Lower House DMK MP Kanimozhi also questioned the centre for its handling of recent terror incidents and accusing it of deflecting accountability.
"What has the Vishwaguru learnt from these terror attacks? You can't keep talking about Operation Sindoor and expect us not to ask questions. This is a failure of a government that has failed the people of this country. You can't keep talking about the past and expect us to forget today's issues. Vishwaguru has not learnt any lessons. He has not taught anything," Kanimozhi said.
Kanimozhi took on the Modi government in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing debate on Operation Sindoor, accusing it of indulging in divisive politics and excluding the Opposition from key briefings on national security.