'Call special Parliament session to demonstrate national unity': Congress on Pahalgam terror attack

NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi Tuesday urged PM Narendra Modi to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack , with the idea of demonstrating a collective national resolve and unity. The two leaders of opposition wrote separately to Modi on Monday night. Congress had sought an all-party meeting on the day of the gruesome killings of tourists in Kashmir, which the govt had agreed to immediately.

Kharge wrote to the PM, "At this moment, when unity and solidarity is essential, opposition believes 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 April 22. It's is our fond hope that the session will be accordingly convened."

In a similar brief letter, Rahul said the Pahalgam terror attack has "outraged" every Indian and that New Delhi must at this critical time show that it stands together against terrorism. He said the special session would be a platform for people's representatives "to show their unity and determination".

AICC spokesman Jairam Ramesh said the letters were written after a discussion between the Congress brass and several opposition leaders. The idea is to show unity, let there be a discussion with responsibility," he added.

The demand, already made by RJD and CPI earlier, may add a fresh twist to the post-Pahalgam to and fro between the govt and the opposition. While the opposition has extended support to the govt on the response it proposes against the attack "masterminded by Pakistan", Congress has also accused the ruling BJP and RSS of using the attack to target Muslims in the country through social media handles. Some opposition parties have also blamed the security lapse and the intelligence failure for the attack.

While Congress has presented the theme of "unity" with the govt as far as response to the attack is concerned, its leaders in states - like AICC Karnataka incharge and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala in Bengaluru on Tuesday - have been attacking the ruling BJP and the PM for the security lapse. Congress has been critical of the PM for missing the all-party meeting and instead attending an election rally in Bihar, as done by Congress president Kharge at a rally in Jaipur on Monday.

Ramesh said when the Parliament meets for the special session, PM Modi should attend both the Houses.