PM Modi cancelled Kashmir visit after receiving intelligence report on terror attack, alleges Kharge
Ranchi, May 6 (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had cancelled his Kashmir visit after "receiving an intelligence report three days before" the Pahalgam terror attack last month.
Noting that during an all-party meeting, the Centre accepted "intelligence failure" in the Pahalgam carnage, Kharge said the union government should be held accountable for "not reinforcing" security arrangements in Kashmir to protect people, even after such inputs.
Reacting to Kharge's allegation, the BJP claimed that the Congress president's criticism of PM Modi over alleged intelligence failure in the Pahalgam terror attack was intended to "lower the morale of security forces".
Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi said that Kharge's comment at a critical time when the "fight against terrorism and Pakistan was at a decisive juncture" was "uncalled for".
Addressing a 'Samvidhan Bachao' rally in Jharkhand's capital, Ranchi, the Congress chief claimed that he "got information that three days before the attack, an intelligence report was sent to Modi ji, and that is why Modi ji cancelled his visit to Kashmir".
"When an intelligence report says that it is not proper to visit there for your security, why did you not inform your security, intelligence, local police, and border force to protect people," the Congress chief asked.
He also claimed, "When you (PM) got the information, you cancelled your programme but did not send more forces to protect tourists there."
Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
Kharge claimed, "India is faced with a huge crisis. The Centre accepted the intelligence failure during the all-party meeting. You (PM Modi) admitted that there was an intelligence flaw. When the Centre knew about the possible terror strike, why did it not put in place a system to protect people?"
"Shouldn't the Centre be accountable for the loss of lives in the Pahalgam attack when it accepted the intelligence failure," he asked.
Kharge asserted that the Congress stands behind the Centre for "any action against Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack" as the country is "supreme and beyond party, religion and caste".
He claimed, "We fight for India, poor people, tribals", but the BJP and the PM believed "only in 'jumla' (rhetoric)".
Kharge also alleged that Modi's policy is to "close public sector institutions, like HEC in Ranchi, and snatch jobs from SC, ST, OBC communities".
There were 30 lakh job vacancies, but the government was "silent" on it, he claimed.
Kharge accused the Centre of unleashing forces, like the ED, against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who made "efforts to sustain a paper" like the National Herald, which played a "crucial role in India's Independence struggle".
"Unlike any Jana Sangh, RSS or BJP leader, several Congress leaders, including former PM Jawaharlal Nehru, were imprisoned. Now, these people are teaching us the lesson of patriotism," he said.
Kharge alleged that agencies like ED were "misused to scare opposition leaders" and said that only two persons were penalised in around 200 cases.
Alleging that the prime minister was "instrumental" in sending a tribal CM (Hemant Soren) behind bars, Kharge said, "PM Modi shouldn't indulge in practices to frighten tribal leaders".
The Congress chief said he has written to the PM, requesting him to carry out the caste census at the earliest after holding a dialogue with all political parties on this issue.
"In a letter to the PM, I have urged him to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation by a constitutional amendment and immediately implement Article 15(5) providing for reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs in institutions," he said.
The Jharkhand BJP hit out at Kharge for his attack on the PM over the Pahalgam attack, claiming that the Congress chief's criticism of PM Modi over alleged intelligence failure was intended to "lower the morale of security forces".
"The Congress is indulging in politics at a time when the country stands with PM Modi in the fight against terror", BJP's Marandi said.
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Centre must roll back LPG price hike, says Kerala CM
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday demanded that the Centre immediately roll back the recent steep hike in LPG prices, alleging that it has severely impacted common people and small businesses.
In a statement, Vijayan described the increase as "one of the most cruel" in the history of cooking gas price revisions, saying it has pushed ordinary households and entrepreneurs into distress.
He said the price of commercial LPG cylinders had been raised by Rs 993 in one go, crossing Rs 3,000, which would adversely affect the hotel and restaurant sector.
The hike in the price of 5-kg LPG cylinders by Rs 251.50 would hit migrant workers and small families who depend on them, he added.
The chief minister alleged that the hike came immediately after the conclusion of Assembly elections in states, placing an additional burden on common people, small-scale entrepreneurs and migrant labourers.
Pointing to the ongoing crisis in West Asia, Vijayan said the hospitality sector has already been facing a shortage of cooking gas for months and the latest price increase would be difficult to absorb.
The burden would ultimately be passed on to consumers, he said, warning that several small establishments, including those in Kerala, could be forced to shut down.
Accusing oil companies of prioritising profits over public welfare, he said such a trend of imposing additional financial burden on people cannot be accepted.
Vijayan also alleged that the Centre's policies favour corporate interests and called for a correction in approach.
He urged the Union government to withdraw the excessive hike without delay.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by the steepest ever Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder on May 1, marking the third straight monthly increase due to rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
