Congress targets Centre, NIA over Pulwama accused getting bail

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday lambasted the Central government and expressed dismay at the working of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) over its "failure" to file a charge sheet against the accused of the Pulwama attack.

"One year after the Pulwama attack, the so-called nationalism of the BJP stands exposed because the NIA, the country's premier probe agency has failed to file a charge sheet against Pulwama terror attack accused Yusuf Chopan, a terrorist of Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)," Khera said on Thursday addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here.

"The intelligence system of the Modi government is weak. What kind of government are they running? They call themselves nationalists but allow bail to Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists. This is the biggest treachery and somebody has to be held accountable for this," he said.

On Thursday, the NIA refuted reports of bail being granted to Yousuf Chopan in the Pulwama attack case by a special NIA court.

On February 14 last year, a Pakistan backed Jaishe-e Mohammad suicide bomber drove an explosives-filled vehicle into a convoy of vehicles carrying paramilitary troops from Jammu to Srinagar, killing 40 CRPF personnel. The banned terror outfit JeM claimed the responsibility for the attack.

Cornering the government over the protests and violence in various parts of the country, Khera said: "Whether it is the riots in Delhi, an attack on libraries and campuses or a total breakdown of law and order across the country... this Home Ministry is the biggest failure that the country has ever seen."

Demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah for Delhi violence, he said; "Who will take responsibility for this failure? The Home Minister, the NIA Chief or should I quote Mr Doval, who used some strange words here while speaking to people in violence-hit parts of Delhi, "Jo Hua So Hua" (what has happened, has happened!). We cannot dismiss an attack on the soul of India by saying such words. We need answers, we need accountability, we demand the resignation of Mr Home Minister, where are you?"

Earlier on Thursday, Congress leaders including party chief Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met President Ram Nath Kovind here and sought the removal of Home Minister over Delhi violence, alleging that he "abdicated his duty" and "allowed the situation to escalate through inaction".

At least 38 people, including a police head constable, have died, while around 200 people have been injured in the violence that gripped north east Delhi from February 23.