
Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha: I take full onus for Pahalgam, was a security failure
LG Manoj Sinha, who completes five years at J&K Raj Bhavan, told TOI's Bharti Jain that the Pahalgam terror attack was a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. 'The intention of the neighbour (Pakistan) was to create a communal divide.
' 'I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure.'
Excerpts from the interview:
Has the Pahalgam attack shattered the myth that terrorism is on the wane in J&K?
What happened in Pahalgam was very unfortunate; innocent people were brutally killed. I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure. The common belief here has been that terrorists do not target tourists.
The location where the attack took place is an open meadow. There is no facility or room for security forces to be present there.
This was a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. The arrests made by NIA in the case corroborate local involvement but it would still be wrong to conclude that the security environment in J&K stands completely vitiated. The attack was a debilitating and deliberate strike on the nation's soul. The intention of the neighbour (Pakistan) was to create a communal divide and trigger a backlash against the people of J&K living in other parts of the country, adding to the feeling of alienation.
Pakistan doesn't want J&K to be peaceful and prosperous. In the past five years, the J&K economy's size has doubled. Tourists have been flocking in high numbers. This (attack) was a hit by Pakistan at the economic well-being of Kashmir. But condemnation and protests by the people of Kashmir following the attack provided a befitting reply to Pakistan and terror outfits. They were clear signs that terrorism is not acceptable here anymore.
There has been no attack in J&K since Operation Sindoor. Do you think this will hold?
Operation Sindoor has drawn red lines for Pakistan. India has made it clear that any terror attack will be considered an act of war. The manner in which our forces carried out precise hits against terror facilities in Pakistan, and when it tried to target our military and civilian assets, how they destroyed their airbases, conveyed a stern message to Pakistan.
Still, a country that has made terrorism its declared state policy, is not to be trusted.
I am confident that the home ministry, defence ministry and our intelligence agencies are keeping a watch on Pakistan. But it is a fact that there has been no terror attack in J&K after Operation Sindoor.
Is local involvement in Pahalgam attack a worry for security agencies?
Local terror recruitment is at an all-time low. There has been just one incident of local recruitment this year as compared to 6 to 7 last year; there was a time when this figure used to be 150-200.
But it is also a fact that Pakistan has facilitated the infiltration of a large number of terrorists in both Jammu region and Kashmir region.
How has the Pahalgam incident impacted tourism in J&K?
Tourist arrivals had almost stopped after the Pahalgam incident. We believed that the Amarnath yatra would be turning point.
What is the status on tourist destinations closed after Pahalgam attack?
We have already opened many. Others will be opened too in a phased manner. This is being done after finalising a robust security plan for each one of them.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
9 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Discuss Operation Sindoor by rising above partisan politics: Mayawati
The first week of disruption in Parliament's Monsoon Session is set to give way to a fiery debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor from Monday Press Trust of India Lucknow Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati said the discussion on Operation Sindoor, starting in Parliament on Monday, should be approached by both the ruling alliance and the opposition by "rising above partisan politics". The first week of disruption in Parliament's Monsoon Session is set to give way to a fiery debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor from Monday as the ruling alliance and the opposition prepare to lock horns over the two issues steeped in national security and foreign policy imperatives. The BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and opposition parties are expected to field their top guns during the discussion in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. "The discussion on 'Operation Sindoor' starting in Parliament today should be approached by both the ruling party and the opposition by rising above partisan politics," Mayawati posted on X in Hindi. "Going forward, the government and the opposition should work together under a solid strategy to ensure that no woman's sindoor is wiped away and no mother has to lose her son; this is also the demand of the time," the BSP chief added in the same post. Sources said on Sunday that Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar would be speaking on the issues amid indications that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may make an intervention to convey his government's "robust" stand against terrorism. Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, respectively, may lead the charge against the government along with Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, besides a host of other members. According to the listed agenda of the Lok Sabha, the House will have a "special discussion on India's strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam". (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


Hindustan Times
9 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Parliament Monsoon Session live: Lok Sabha braces for heated ‘Operation Sindoor' debate, Rajnath to initiate discussion
Parliament Monsoon Session live: As a show of strength during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, the BJP has asked all MPs from its alliance partners in the NDA to assemble. Parliament Monsoon Session live: A special debate on 'Operation Sindoor' is scheduled in the Lok Sabha today, marking India's military response to the April terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed 26 lives, mostly of tourists. Following a week of disruptions since the monsoon session began on July 21, a high-voltage discussion is expected in Parliament, with key leaders from both the ruling NDA and the Opposition set to participate. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to open the debate in the Lok More According to PTI sources, Union home minister Amit Shah, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, and BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey are also expected to speak during the session. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to intervene in the Lok Sabha debate and may do the same in the Rajya Sabha as well. The first week of the session was marred by repeated disruptions, including the unexpected resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. The Rajya Sabha will take up the Operation Sindoor discussion on Tuesday, with ministers Rajnath Singh and S Jaishankar among those expected to participate, sources added. Agenda for today • The Lok Sabha's agenda for Monday includes a special discussion on Operation Sindoor. India carried out precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) as part of the operation. • As a show of strength during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked all MPs from its alliance partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to assemble. The BJP has directed all NDA MPs to gather at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament today at 10.00 am. • TDP leaders Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and GM Harish Balayogi are set to participate in the debate, with the party allotted 30 minutes. From the Samajwadi Party, its chief Akhilesh Yadav and MP Rajiv Rai will also take part. • Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju has announced that the debate on Operation Sindoor will last 16 hours in the Lok Sabha on July 28, and another 16 hours in the Rajya Sabha on July 29. • Opposition parties have been pushing for a focused discussion on both the Pahalgam attack and India's military response. They have also demanded that the government respond to US President Donald Trump's repeated claims that he helped mediate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. • While the opposition had been insisting on the Prime Minister's presence during the debate, the discussion was delayed due to his foreign visit and disruptions in Parliament. The government clarified that the debate was not denied, only postponed. • Meanwhile, floor leaders of the INDIA bloc parties will meet at 10 am on Monday to strategise for the second week of the Monsoon Session. The Lok Sabha will take up the Operation Sindoor discussion on Monday, followed by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.


Time of India
22 minutes ago
- Time of India
Govt deliberately delayed it: Congress MP Tariq Anwar on Operation Sindoor to be discussed in Parliament
Ahead of the Parliament discussion on Operation Sindoor today, Congress MP Tariq Anwar accused the government of delaying the discussion on important subjects such as Operation Sindoor and US President Trump's repeated claims of playing a role of mediator between India and Pakistan. Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Anwar said, "There has been a lot of delay. Operation Sindoor, the ceasefire, US President Trump's statement, all these things were very important, and the Prime Minister and the govt should have given them priority, but it was postponed, and after one week, a debate on it will start today (possibly). It seems that the government has deliberately delayed it." Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Others Project Management MCA MBA Leadership Finance healthcare Digital Marketing Design Thinking Healthcare CXO Degree Product Management Data Science Management Data Analytics Cybersecurity Public Policy Technology Data Science Operations Management PGDM Skills you'll gain: Duration: 28 Weeks MICA CERT-MICA SBMPR Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT-ISB Transforming HR with Analytics & AI India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 months IIM Lucknow SEPO - IIML CHRO India Starts on undefined Get Details "But according to me, all things will be revealed, and the countrymen will get to know about the incidents of Operation Sindoor through this session of the Lok Sabha ," Anwar added. Lok Sabha is set to hold a special discussion on 'Operation Sindoor', India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack , on Monday. A fiery debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor is expected to unfold in Parliament, between top leaders from the ruling alliance and the Opposition. Live Events Lok Sabha List of Business for Monday states, "Special Discussion on India's strong, successful and decisive 'Operation Sindoor' in response to terrorist attack in Pahalgam". Twenty-six civilians were killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, after which India retaliated through precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Meanwhile, the first week of the Monsoon session of Parliament witnessed major disruptions with the surprise resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to initiate the discussion on Operation Sindhoor in the Lok Sabha on Monday.