The Congress leader demanded answers on why it took 17 days for Operation Sindoor to be launched after the attack and raised concerns over alleged foreign pressure on India to maintain a ceasefire. She accused the Centre of lacking transparency and resolve in counter-terror measures.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, July 29, 2025 – Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra delivered a searing speech in the Lok Sabha during a special debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, raising sharp questions about the government’s handling of national security and its delayed response to the deadly assault on April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley.
The attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives, has become a major political flashpoint. In her remarks—part of a 16-hour-long discussion—Priyanka Gandhi accused the government of “gross negligence” and “strategic failure” in preventing the attack and launching a timely counter-response.
“How could an attack of such magnitude take place in a heavily militarized area like Kashmir?” she asked, emphasizing the absence of forces in Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist spot. “Not a single soldier was present when the area was flocked by tourists. Why?”
She then targeted the delay in launching Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory strike on nine terror camps across 21 locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Echoing concerns raised by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, she said:
“What caused this delay? Why did the government take 17 days to act when the operation could have been carried out within three days? Who is accountable for this failure?”
She directly challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and urged him to accept responsibility:
“The Prime Minister must answer. Who gave the orders? Who sat on the decision?”
Turning to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Priyanka questioned why he hadn’t offered to step down after what she termed a “colossal security lapse.”
LIVE: Smt. @priyankagandhi ji speaks on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha. https://t.co/F1nEuB0DBV
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 29, 2025
“The Home Minister stood here and spoke of Nehru and Indira Gandhi. He even spoke of my mother’s tears,” she said, referring to Shah’s earlier speech. “But the real question is: will he take responsibility for the tears of 26 families who lost their loved ones in Pahalgam?”
She also criticized the government’s response to international involvement in brokering peace.
“The External Affairs Minister did not categorically deny U.S. involvement in the ceasefire,” she noted. “He said the Prime Minister had not spoken to Trump in a while, but stopped short of saying there was no U.S. role. That ambiguity is telling.”
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, she added:
“There is a lack of transparency in how this government communicates with the public—especially when it involves foreign influence in national security decisions.”
Priyanka’s fiery speech was part of a coordinated opposition offensive, with Congress allotted three hours in the debate. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is expected to deliver the concluding remarks. Other leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, accused the government of using military operations like Operation Mahadev to deflect from intelligence failures tied to Operation Sindoor.
On the government’s side, Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the timing and scale of the military response:
“Operation Sindoor was a calibrated, intelligence-backed mission. There was no delay, and no room for error,” he said, confirming that three terrorists neutralized in the follow-up Operation Mahadev were directly linked to the Pahalgam attack.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh added:
“Operation Sindoor was legendary. It sent a clear message: India will strike back. And we did so without any external pressure or loss of our aircraft.”
The debate, now in its second day, continues to polarize Parliament. While the BJP-led NDA has stood by the operations as “strategically sound,” the opposition remains unconvinced, citing unanswered questions, unclaimed responsibility, and a pattern of delayed responses.
On social media, Priyanka Gandhi’s questions resonated widely, with #OperationSindoor and #AccountabilityNow trending on X (formerly Twitter). Citizens, too, demanded clarity.
“If we don’t question lapses today, what kind of message are we sending to the victims—and to the enemy?” one post read, echoing her concerns.
As the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha brace for more fireworks, Prime Minister Modi is expected to address the House later today—his response keenly awaited across political and public spectrums
