Congress seeks special parliament session after Pahalgam attack claims 26 lives
Live Events
Mallikarjun Kharge's letter to PM Modi
You Might Also Like:
J&K Assembly denounces Baisaran Valley attack
You Might Also Like:
World must condemn Pahalgam terror attack for which there can be no justification: India's envoy to UN
You Might Also Like:
Parties should urge govt to convene special session of Parliament over Pahalgam attack: Kapil Sibal
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
The Indian National Congress has called for a special parliamentary session to address the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir 's Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge urged the government to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament in response to the attack.In his letter, Kharge stated that the proposed session would be a platform to express a joint stance on the attack and would demonstrate a collective resolve to address the situation.The Congress President also wrote that the opposition believes in unity and solidarity as the need of the hour."At this moment, when unity and solidarity is essential, Opposition believes that it is important to convene a special session of both houses of Parliament at the earliest. This will be a powerful demonstration of our collective resolve and will to deal with the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam on innocent citizens on 22 April 2025. It is our fond hope that the session will be accordingly convened," the letter read.The request comes amid increased political focus on national security and responses to terrorism, amidst outrage and mourning following the terror attack on April 22.Earlier on Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly held a special session condemning the terror attack in Pahalgam.During the session, a resolution was adopted to express strong disapproval of the attack and to extend solidarity to the victims and their families.Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary moved the resolution condemning the Pahalgam terror attack at the start of the session, following opening remarks from speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.The resolution endorsed the diplomatic measures announced by the Union Government after the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting.The resolution was adopted without any division, following which the assembly session was adjourned sine die.Meanwhile, JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah further affirmed that he would not be demanding statehood for Jammu and Kashmir in the name of the 26 people who have died in a terror attack, stating that his politics was not "so cheap".He, however, stated that he would still demand statehood for the region, but not at this very moment when the country still mourns the loss of the 26 people.The attack in Pahalgam is one of the deadliest attacks in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike, in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has taken strong measures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism (with ANI inputs)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
9 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Shoukath's Panakkad visit marks shift in IUML-Congress dynamics
Congress State general secretary Aryadan Shoukath, who won the Nilambur Assembly byelection with an impressive margin of 11,077 votes, visited Panakkad, near here, on Tuesday and sought the blessings of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) State president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal. Mr. Shoukath's visit to Panakkad was seen as more than a courtesy call to the chief of a major United Democratic Front (UDF) constituent. It was a strategic move that could potentially mark the beginning of a new era in the Congress-IUML relations within the UDF in Malappuram district. Despite decades of partnership, the Congress and IUML have had a strained relationship, particularly in Malappuram district. Historical unease between the two key UDF constituents, fuelled by scepticism among some veteran Congress leaders towards the IUML, had led to friction and even electoral clashes in several panchayats. This even required the UDF leadership to intervene and mediate in the past. Mr. Shoukath's father Aryadan Mohammed, the late Congress stalwart who held his sway in Nilambur for over three decades by winning eight Assembly elections, was known for his vocal criticism of the IUML and the Panakkad Thangal leadership. Aryadan Mohammed had repeatedly criticised the Panakkad Thangals and rejected their claim of supremacy over the Muslim community. Following his father's footsteps and driven by his secular approach, Mr. Shoukath too had adopted a similar critical stance towards the Panakkad Thangals. Thangal's blessings When Mr. Shoukath sought the Thangal's blessings ahead of beginning his campaign on May 27, some stakeholders like P.V. Anvar had attempted to revive past criticisms, potentially trying to stir a controversy. But Mr. Shoukath had shifted his stance and publicly praised the IUML and Panakkad leadership well before the Nilambur byelection. It clearly marked a departure from his past criticism. Soon after the election results on Monday, a triumphant junior Aryadan effusively praised the IUML and its leadership and credited their systematic groundwork in Nilambur months prior to the byelection for his win. Mr. Shoukath's visit to Panakkad as the newly elected MLA seemed to signal a fresh start with the IUML by burying past differences and forging a new relationship. The warm hug with Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal and the convivial body language among Congress and IUML leaders at Panakkad on Tuesday conveyed a renewed sense of camaraderie and warmth in their relationship.
United News of India
9 minutes ago
- United News of India
Shrinate slams Modi Govt over US travel advisory on India
New Delhi, June 24 (UNI) Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on Tuesday slammed the Narendra Modi government over the recently issued "US travel advisory" that warns American citizens, especially women, against travelling alone in India, citing incidents of rape, violence and the potential for terror attacks. 'It is deeply ironic and damaging that such an advisory has been issued for India, a nation striving for global leadership. This has far-reaching implications on our international standing,' Ms Shrinate said while addressing a press conference here. She said that no similar advisory has been issued for Pakistan—a country 'widely acknowledged as a terror hub' that shelters internationally designated terrorists like Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, and Dawood Ibrahim. The senior Congress leader also criticised the reported invitation extended to Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir for a dinner with US President Donald Trump. 'Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir is being invited to a dinner to enjoy a meal with US President Donald Trump, who has, in turn, hyphenated India and Pakistan. It is highly objectionable that the Indian PM and Pakistan's Army Chief are being hyphenated together,' she claimed. Ms Shrinate further alleged, 'In the last 11 years, PM Modi has spent a disproportionate amount of time courting foreign powers from enforceable hugs to events like 'Howdy Modi', 'Namaste Trump', and slogans like 'Ab Ki Baar Trump Sarkar'. Yet, the results are embarrassing'. Shrinate claimed that the United States, under Trump's leadership, had repeatedly disrespected India by imposing tariffs, accusing India of trade abuse, taking credit for ceasefires, deporting Indian nationals in handcuffs, and now issuing adverse advisories. 'At a time when we need large nations of the world to stand with us, America is issuing travel advisories against us and citing incidents that pertain to the rest of the world. But this really maligns us, and what is the government doing about it? Absolutely nothing. Pindrop silence like always,' she said. Questioning the very direction of India's foreign policy, she said, 'The cornerstone of our foreign policy should be to uphold India's national interest. But for Modi, it seems to be more about getting the perfect camera angle wherever he goes.' She also took a dig at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, saying, 'Our foreign minister appears more interested in making dramatic social media reels than addressing serious diplomatic issues. So, who is really running our foreign policy?' UNI RBE SS
India Gazette
16 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"Jhoot boley kawa kaatey...": Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis refutes voter list manipulation allegations
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 24 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has sharply rebutted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's accusation that the voter list in his constituency was manipulated, calling it a desperate claim stemming from Congress's defeat in the state. Responding to Gandhi's post on X, Fadnavis wrote, 'Jhoot boley kawa kaatey, Kaaley Kawaey se daryo... Rahul Gandhi, it's clear that the sting of your party's humiliating defeat in Maharashtra is growing deeper by the day.' He dismissed the claim of manipulation, citing multiple assembly segments across Maharashtra that saw similar or higher voter growth, yet were won by Congress or its allies. 'How long will you keep shooting arrows in the dark? For your information, there are over 25 assembly segments in Maharashtra where the number of voters increased by more than 8% between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, and in several of these, Congress won.' Fadnavis highlighted that over 25 assembly segments in Maharashtra recorded voter increases exceeding 8%, with Congress and its allies securing wins in several. He cited West Nagpur, with a 7% rise (27,065 voters), won by Congress's Vikas Thakre; North Nagpur, with a 7% increase (29,348 voters), won by Congress's Nitin Raut; Vadgaon Sheri in Pune, with a 10% jump (50,911 voters), won by Sharad Pawar faction's Bapu Pathare; Malad West, with an 11% surge (38,625 voters), won by Congress's Aslam Shaikh; and Mumbra, with a 9% increase (46,041 voters), won by Sharad Pawar faction's Jitendra Awhad. 'It would have been better had you spoken to your party colleagues, people like Aslam Shaikh, Vikas Thakre, and Nitin Raut, before putting out this tweet. At the very least, such a glaring lack of communication within Congress wouldn't have been so publicly exposed,' he added. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) invited the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for an interaction to discuss the issues related to his allegation on the Maharashtra Assembly Election held last year, sources said on Tuesday. According to the sources, the letter was sent via email on June 12 and was also received at his residence. The former Congress President has recently raised allegations against the poll body of 'election rigging' in the Maharashtra assembly polls. However, ECI has rejected the allegations. Gandhi has further raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, citing the destruction of evidence as a potential indicator of election rigging against the backdrop of the Election Commission's (EC) revised guidelines on preserving video footage and photographs of elections, reducing the retention period to 45 days. (ANI)
