MUMBAI — As Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared the elimination of three Pakistani terrorists “linked to the April 22 Pahalgam attack” during the ‘Operation Sindoor’ debate in Parliament, Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra President, Abu Asim Azmi on Tuesday raised serious questions regarding the timing and circumstances of the encounter.
Speaking to IANS, Abu Azmi asked: “Did the terrorists know that the Parliament would be discussing Operation Sindoor, and they decided to gather at the same time? It’s baffling. The Kashmir incident happened months ago. Since then, people have been puzzled by how such a heavily patrolled region – where every tourist and vehicle is rigorously checked – could allow Pakistani terrorists to slip through, attack, and escape unharmed.”
Azmi expressed scepticism over the sequence of events.
“The entire nation stood with the government when it was revealed that the terrorists came from Pakistan. There was even talk of war. Yet, no retaliation occurred. Instead, a ceasefire was announced. And now, suddenly, after months, all three terrorists are conveniently found and neutralised on the same day that the Parliament is debating a sensitive national issue? This doesn’t make sense.”
The Home Minister had earlier informed the Lok Sabha that the terrorists were neutralised in Jammu and Kashmir’s Dachigam after a two-month-long intelligence-led mission dubbed Operation Mahadev, aimed at dismantling terror sleeper cells. The slain terrorists were said to be associated with the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), responsible for the deadly Pahalgam attack in which several tourists were brutally gunned down.
Azmi, however, emphasised the need for transparency.
“If these were indeed Pakistani terrorists, couldn’t we have captured at least one of them alive? That could have provided undeniable proof of their origin and intentions. But now, with all three dead, doubts are bound to arise. Even senior leaders like P. Chidambaram are now saying that the attackers may not have come from Pakistan. People are genuinely confused. They want to know what’s really going on.”
He further criticised the political use of terrorism for point-scoring, responding to Amit Shah’s remarks targeting Congress for its record during the UPA era. Shah had said, “Between 2005 and 2011, there were 27 major terror attacks with over 1,000 casualties. What did the Congress do? They merely sent dossiers to Pakistan.”
Azmi hit back, saying: “We must not forget that Prime Minister Modi went to Pakistan uninvited. When the people of this country demanded strong action, a ceasefire was announced instead. And now, we’re preparing to play cricket matches with the same nation? How should the common man interpret this? The government must clarify where it stands—because the people have always stood firm against terrorism, no matter the source.”
The Samajwadi Party leader also reacted to international issues, especially the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Reacting to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s call for India to take a “clear and bold” stand in support of Palestinians, Azmi accused the government of turning a blind eye to mass suffering.
“These leaders talk endlessly about Hindu-Muslim issues but don’t seem to understand justice or humanity,” Azmi said.
“I haven’t read Sonia Gandhi’s letter, but I do know that people in Gaza haven’t had a grain of food for months. Their skin clings to their bones. Children are starving. People stand in line for a morsel and get bombed instead. If we, as a country, truly believe in the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family), then now is the time to show it. We should stop the attacks from Israel at this time,” he stated. –IANS
