Congress gave away PoK, BJP committed to bring it back: Amit Shah

Shah said the three terrorists involved in the incident were neutralised in 'Operation Mahadev' on Monday, and that investigations had confirmed their affiliation with the Lashkar-e-Taiba

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday slammed the Congress party in the Rajya Sabha for allegedly questioning the recent anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir, and accused the party of prioritising vote-bank politics over national security.

 

During the debate on Operation Sindoor, Shah said the Congress had once “given away” Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was committed to taking it back.

 

He added that the three terrorists involved in the incident were neutralised in 'Operation Mahadev' on Monday, and that investigations had confirmed their affiliation with terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

 

“Families of Pahalgam attack victims and many other people wanted the three terrorists to be shot in their heads, and they met the same fate in Operation Mahadev,” Shah said in the Upper House, according to PTI.

 

Shah described the Pahalgam terrorist attack as a brutal act, saying: “Such barbaric crime never happened where religion was asked before killing people in front of women and children.”

 

The Opposition walked out of the House shortly after Shah began his remarks, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the issue. The Chair, however, rejected the demand, prompting the walkout. 

 

'Congress prioritises vote bank' 

Shah also responded to alleged criticism from Congress leader P Chidambaram, who had questioned the legitimacy of Operation Sindoor and had called for Shah’s resignation.

 

“P Chidambaram demanded my resignation and questioned the Indian government’s Operation Sindoor. He repeatedly challenged the evidence that those involved in the Pahalgam attack were Pakistani terrorists. Today, I want to ask him, who was he trying to protect? Pakistan? Lashkar-e-Taiba? Or the terrorists themselves? Aren’t you ashamed of this? But by God’s grace, on the very day he raised these questions, all three terrorists were killed,” Shah said.

 

 

“Priority of Congress is not national security, but politics; it indulges in politics of vote bank, appeasement,” the Union home minister said.

 

“Congress has no right to ask the BJP questions about terrorism. The only reason terrorism spread in the country was because of Congress’ vote-bank and appeasement politics,” he added.

 

 

Responding to remarks by Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on the naming of Operation Mahadev, Shah said the reference had historical and military significance. “When Shivaji Maharaj fought against the Mughals, his war slogan was ‘Har Har Mahadev’,” he said, adding that war slogans used by Indian soldiers often reflect religious or cultural heritage and are not meant to target any community.

 

(With agency inputs)