New Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament in New Delhi, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (Photo: IANS/Sansad TV)
New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday attacked PM Modi over the ceasefire on ‘Operation Sindoor’ and questioned the success and aim of India’s military retaliation on Pakistan.
Delivering a fiery speech in Lok Sabha, the Congress leader took a dig at the Centre's handling of ceasefire talks, referencing the sudden halt in ‘Operation Sindoor’.
“For the first time in history, war stopped, and our government didn’t announce it—United States President Trump did. What does that say about our leadership?” she emphasised.
Further, she raised concerns about Pakistan gaining influence at the global stage post-Sindoor. She was referring to Pakistan’s elevation as Vice Chair of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee and Chair of the Taliban Sanctions Committee in June, weeks after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, followed by the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor.
“If our operation was a success, how did this happen? Who takes responsibility?” she questioned.
Speaking of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s speech on Monday, she said, “When Gaurav Gogoi asked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about responsibility, Home Minister Amit Shah was smiling.”
Taking a jibe at the ruling party for their consistent attacks on Gandhi family members, from Nehru to Indira Gandhi and even to Priyanka’s mother Sonia Gandhi, she said, “The ruling party leaders are making comments on the tears of my mother…. Let me tell you… My mother cried when my father was assassinated. I know that pain. But true leadership isn’t just about taking credit. It’s about accepting failure, too.”
Ending her address, she read out the names of all 25 Indians whom those terrorists killed on April 22, and this triggered a brief uproar in the House, with opposition members thumping desks and shouting ‘Indians’ while ruling party MPs continued to call those victims as ‘Hindus’.
However, Gandhi's speech is likely to resonate as a powerful call for accountability in an increasingly securitised Kashmir.
Under HM Shah the Pahalgam terror attack happened, but where is accountability: Priyanka Gandhi
In a searing speech in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a direct attack on the Centre over the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, questioning the NDA government’s claims of “normalcy” in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and demanding accountability from Home Minister Amit Shah.
While speaking during the discussion on ‘Operation Sindoor’, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also pointed to the Manipur unrest and Delhi riots and sought accountability from Home Minister Shah.
“Everyone talks about 'Operation Sindoor', and we are proud of our Army. But no one talks about what happened in Pahalgam on April 22 — when people were massacred in front of their family members. What were they doing there? They had gone there believing the government's word — that peace had returned to Kashmir,” she said.
She recounted the harrowing story of Shubham Dwivedi, a recently married man who had gone to Baisaran Valley with his wife and extended family.
“The weather was good, the valley beautiful. They had reached on horseback and were standing near a stall when four terrorists emerged from the forest. Shubham was shot dead in front of his wife. Chaos followed for the next hour as the terrorists picked their targets. Not a single security personnel member was present during the massacre,” she said.
Quoting Shubham’s wife, Gandhi said, “The government left us orphaned. For over an hour, no one came. No security, no first aid, nothing.”
She sharply questioned why, despite 1,000-1,500 tourists visiting Baisaran Valley daily, there was no security arrangement. “The Prime Minister and Home Minister say Kashmir is normal. Then why were civilians left at the mercy of terrorists?”
Gandhi highlighted that The Resistance Front (TRF), an affiliate of the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the April attack, and has carried out 25 such attacks between 2020 and 2025 —including the Reasi attack.
“Yet the TRF was designated a terror outfit only in 2023. Why did it take so long? Isn’t the Pahalgam attack a failure of our Intelligence agencies? Has the IB chief resigned? Has the Home Minister taken responsibility? No. Not even a word,” she said.
The Congress leader contrasted the current regime’s attitude with the UPA era. “After 26/11, our Home Minister resigned. The Maharashtra CM stepped down. During those attacks, all terrorists were gunned down on the same day and only one was caught alive. He was also hanged later, accountability was clear. But has Home Minister Amit Shah resigned or even taken responsibility. Under his nose, Pahalgam happened, Manipur is still burning, Delhi riots happened but where is the accountability,” she said.
