'Everytime Rahul Gandhi leaves country....': Karnataka BJP slams Congress leader after Pahalgam terror attack

Karnataka BJP criticizes Rahul Gandhi for his overseas trips coinciding with domestic tragedies, linking his US visit to the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that his overseas trips often coincide with distressing events back home. Their comments come in the aftermath of the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead and 12 others injured.

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. (AICC)

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In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the state BJP unit remarked, "Every time @RahulGandhi leaves the country, something sinister unfolds back home," implicitly linking his current US visit with the recent attack.

Rahul Gandhi is presently in the United States, where he is scheduled to visit Brown University in Rhode Island. Responding to the attack, Gandhi said he was briefed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the situation. "Spoke with HM Amit Shah, J&K CM Omar Abdullah, and J&K PCC President Tariq Karra about the horrific Pahalgam terror attack. Received an update on the situation. The families of victims deserve justice and our fullest support," he wrote on X.

The deadly assault occurred at Baisaran meadow, a picturesque hilltop near Pahalgam often referred to as ‘mini Switzerland.’ The location, a popular tourist destination, was thrown into chaos by the attack, prompting swift responses from top leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi curtailed his official trip to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi, while Home Minister Amit Shah flew to Kashmir on Tuesday to assess the situation.

According to a report by news agency PTI, officials have identified the suspected attackers as Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha. They are believed to have used code names—Moosa, Yunus, and Asif—and were reportedly involved in prior terror incidents in the Poonch region.

The tragedy has drawn widespread international condemnation, with US President Donald Trump expressing his "deepest sympathies" and promising India's government the "full support" of the United States.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi confirmed that three of those killed in the attack were residents of Karnataka, adding a deeply personal note to the incident for many in the state.