Congress Questions Govt’s Pakistan Policy After Pulwama Attack

Militants stormed the 185th battalion camp of the CRPF in Lethpora in Kashmir valley around 2 am on 31 December.

The attack on the training centre occurred around 2 am on the morning of 31 December.

(Photo: ANI)

Questioning the government's Pakistan policy, Congress on Tuesday accused it of failing to protect military installations from cross-border terror strikes and wondered why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent even after five soldiers were killed in Sunday's Pulwama attack.

Raising the issue, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also slammed the government over National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's meeting his Pakistani counterpart in Bangkok last week, notwithstanding Pakistani authorities ill-treating the family of Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav in Islamabad.

What is the government’s Pakistan policy? The NSA met the Pakistani NSA in Bangkok after the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav was ill treated by Pakistan. On the other hand, cross-border attacks are going on. 

A Pakistani national security division official was quoted by Dawn newspaper as saying that a meeting between Pakistan NSA (Retd) Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India's Ajit Doval took place on 27 December in Thailand.

On the Pulwama attack, Scindia accused the government of failing to put in place security measures to protect sensitive defence installations even though there were similar terror strikes on military bases in the recent past including in Uri, Udhampur and Pathankot.

When people were celebrating (the new year), Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attacked a CRPF camp in Pulwama. Five soldiers laid down their lives... A committee by Lt Gen (retd) Philip Campose had suggested measures to strengthen security at defence installations. But the government is in deep slumber.

The Pulwama operation was concluded after the body of a third suspected militant was recovered. The operation reportedly came in the wake of a pre-dawn attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir that killed five jawans and injured another three on 31 December.

Among the martyred personnel were Captain Sharief-ud-din Ganaie, Inspector Kuldip Roy, HC Taufail Ahmed, Captain Rajendra Nain and Captain Pradeep Kumar Panda.

The last rites of CRPF jawan Mohammed Tufail was performed in Rajouri's Dodasan. Both his daughters say that they want to “become officers and will avenge his death.”

Three armed militants of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, who claimed responsibility for the attack, launched the strike on the 185th battalion camp of the CPRF at around 2 am. Two of the militants have been identified as Manzoor Ahmad Baba, who is from Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday of Tral.

Visuals from the CRPF camp in Pulwama

CRPF Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rajesh Yadav told PTI that the militants fired indiscriminately injuring three CRPF personnel.

Yadav said that while Roy died of heart attack during the gun-battle, the four others succumbed to bullet injuries. The injured personnel are constables Narendra Kumar, Malam Samadhan and Mala Ram, he said.

Visuals from the CRPF camp in Pulwama

“Had Intel About Strike”

Director General of Police SP Vaid was quoted as saying that security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

There was an input from the last two-three days. They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night.

SP Vaid, Director General of Police

We had inputs that such an attack could take place and our troops were ready. Till now, 2 terrorists killed, operation still underway, we will conclude the operation soon.

Additional Director General, CRPF

The CRPF camp also serves as a training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley. A Jammu and Kashmir Police team is also co-located with the CRPF in this camp.

Jawans Laid to Rest

A wreath-laying ceremony of the CRPF jawans who lost their lives was performed in Budgam.

Wreath-laying ceremony for the martyred soldiers.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh condemned the terror attack.

Terming the attack as “dastardly”, the chief minister said violence had taken a heavy toll in the state in terms of death and destruction, tearing apart of the social fabric, inflicting massive economic, academic and social losses besides the irreparable loss of human lives.

She paid tributes to the jawans including an officer, killed in the post-midnight attack on the training centre at Lethpora in south Kashmir. Mufti also conveyed her sympathies to the bereaved families.

Wreath-laying ceremony for the martyred soldiers.

Cong Terms Attack a Proof of PM Modi’s Foreign Policy Failure

The Congress had denounced the government over the attack, saying it was a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.

Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev was quoted as saying that such recurring attacks send a message that anti-national forces do not fear India.

During elections, Modi says India is a strong nation. But the number of casualties in ceasefire violations was going up. It is a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy

Sushmita Dev, Congress Spokesperson

Expressing deep shock over the loss of precious lives of security personnel in the incidents, JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma paid rich tributes to the valiant jawans who sacrificed their lives.

(With inputs from PTI)

(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe to find a solution to pollution. Send in your suggestions to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone])