Key Highlights: Pahalgam Attack & Political Fallout
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Owaisi Demands Resignation: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi says J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha should resign after admitting security lapses in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
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Opposition Pressure Builds: Congress, NC, CPI(M), and PDP leaders also demand Sinha’s resignation, calling acceptance of failure meaningless without accountability..
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Operation Sindoor Launched: India retaliated by bombing 9 terror camps in Pakistan and PoJK, triggering cross-border tensions. NIA arrested two locals for sheltering attackers. Omar Abdullah and PDP caution against blaming Kashmiris, saying locals may have acted under duress.
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Communal Tensions Rise: Post-attack, Kashmiris faced harassment in other parts of India, with Sinha saying the attack aimed to provoke communal unrest.
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Owaisi on Bihar SIR: Owaisi slammed the voter verification drive in Bihar, calling it unfair and discriminatory, especially against migrants from Seemanchal.
The political storm over the Pahalgam terrorist attack intensified on Wednesday, with AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi demanding the resignation of Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, following his public acceptance of security lapses in the April 22 massacre of tourists at Baisaran meadow.
“If the Lt Governor is really sad about the incident, then he should resign,” Owaisi said, accusing the Centre of failing to identify the perpetrators and vowing to raise the matter in the upcoming Parliament session.
Owaisi said it’s not certain if Sinha will stay in his job, and if he has accepted his mistake, then he should leave the post.
Political Backlash After Sinha’s Admission
In a recent interview, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha called the April 22 attack “a Pakistan-sponsored terror strike”, revealing that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had made arrests and identified the attackers. He admitted the incident was a “security failure” and said:
“I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure… The terrorists have been identified, and agencies are on their trail.”
This is the first time Sinha has directly acknowledged a lapse by security agencies under his control.
‘Resign If You Take Responsibility,’ Say Opposition Parties
Several political parties have now publicly demanded Sinha’s resignation:
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Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera asked on X:
“He finally takes responsibility for ‘Pahalgam’ after 82 days of the attack. In doing so, who is he protecting in Delhi?”
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Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohamed wrote:
“Since @manojsinha_ has taken full responsibility for the security lapse… When is he resigning? In a democracy, the next step after taking responsibility is resignation!”
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National Conference (NC) leader Imran Nabi Dar views:
“The next logical step for him should be to step down and apologise to the people of J&K whose lives, livelihood and dignity were put at stake due to his blunders.”
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CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami added:
“Acceptance means action. Those responsible for the lapse that led to 26 civilian deaths must be held accountable.”
Centre Under Fire for Intelligence Failure
Owaisi and other opposition leaders have also targeted the Union Government, which controls law and order in Jammu & Kashmir, for failing to prevent the attack or act swiftly after.
“We will seek answers on how the terrorists reached Pahalgam undetected,” Owaisi said.
The Congress said Sinha’s statement was just to protect officials in Modi’s government. The opposition is also blaming the Centre for other security failures, like the violence in Manipur and attacks on minorities.
Following the April 22 attack, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, striking nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) in retaliation. The operation sparked retaliatory shelling from across the border, briefly escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Sinha stated that the attack aimed to “create a communal divide and provoke violence against Kashmiris living in other parts of India.”
After the incident, reports surfaced of harassment against Kashmiri students and businessmen across several Indian cities, prompting some to return to the Valley.
The NIA has arrested two local men from Pahalgam on charges of harbouring the terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba. According to the agency, the suspects provided shelter to the Pakistani attackers and helped identify their network.
However, former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged caution:
“The arrested duo may have sheltered them under duress. None of the attackers were locals. We must not allow the actions of a few foreign militants to paint our people as collaborators.”
PDP leader Waheed Parra supported Abdullah’s view, calling the attack a “cross-border issue”, and warning against politicising the tragedy:
“If blame has to be fixed, it should be across the border. There is a larger external angle that needs political resolution to prevent such incidents.”
Owaisi on Bihar: Documents, Misinformation, and SIR
Separately, Owaisi also criticised the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. He claimed that media and political forces were spreading rumours about settlers from Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
“60–70% of Bihar’s Seemanchal youth work abroad. Now they’re being asked to produce birth certificates. It’s unfair,” Owaisi said, warning of voter suppression.
He added that AIMIM’s Bihar president Akhtarul Iman had filed a petition in the Supreme Court, which directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to accept Aadhaar, Voter ID (EPIC), and ration cards as valid proof for voter registration.
The Pahalgam tragedy has exposed serious questions about security preparedness, accountability, and governance in Jammu & Kashmir. As investigations continue and political pressure mounts, Lt Governor Sinha’s future remains uncertain — as does the government’s strategy to balance security with democratic transparency.
