E-Paper
How Priyanka Gandhi reacted to 'Hindu the' chorus during Pahalgam attack debate in Lok Sabha
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the government's handling of the Pahalgam attack, emphasising the need for accountability.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday subtly countered attempts to give a communal spin to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, responding with “Bharatiye the” (they were Indians) after a few MPs in the Lok Sabha purportedly said the victims were “Hindus”.
Her sharp retort came during her address in the special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha amid the Monsoon Session, where she took on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre over its handling of the April 22 terror attack that claimed 26 lives in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
Also Follow | Parliament Monsoon Session live updates
"Union home minister spoke about my mother's tears today. I want to answer this. My mother's tears fell when terrorists killed my father. Today, when I talk about those 26 people (victims of the Pahalgam attack), it is because I understand their pain," she said.
Also Read | Congress chief's 'Vishwaguru's daawat’ dig after Amit Shah attacks Gaurav Gogoi over Pakistan visit
The Congress general secretary questioned the government's silence on key issues and accused it of shirking responsibility. "Yesterday, the Defence Minister (Rajnath Singh) gave a one-hour speech in which he talked about many things, but one matter was overlooked. On April 22, 2025, when 26 countrymen were shot dead, how and why did this attack happen?" she asked.
Priyanka Gandhi also lashed out at the ruling party for allegedly reducing national tragedies to political talking points. "This government always tries to escape the questions...They have no sense of accountability towards the citizens of the nation. The truth is that they have no place for the public in their heart. For them, everything is politics, publicity..." she said.
“Sahab, you talk about history, I will talk about the present. You always look for an excuse, you list out entire (Gandhi) family... You have been in power for 11 years. Yesterday, Gaurav Gogoi raised a question with the home minister, wasn’t that your responsibility? Defence minister Rajnath ji was nodding, but the home minister was laughing,” the Congress leader said in her address.
