New Delhi: Leaders from across the political spectrum came together on Thursday in an all-party meeting convened in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead, most of them tourists. While demanding firm action to dismantle terror camps, the Opposition assured its full support to the government in tackling terrorism.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh stated that all parties unanimously called for the destruction of terrorist training camps. Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandopadhyay added that concerns over possible security lapses were raised, but the Opposition firmly stood with the government in the fight against terror. “This is a time for national unity,” he emphasized.
The meeting began with a minute’s silence in honor of the victims. Senior ministers including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju represented the government.
Top leaders such as J.P. Nadda (Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha), Mallikarjun Kharge (Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha), and Rahul Gandhi (Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha) attended the session chaired by Rajnath Singh. Representatives from parties including NCP, AIMIM, BJD, TDP, Shiv Sena, DMK, and SP also participated.
The meeting followed Wednesday’s announcement of strong retaliatory steps by India against Pakistan. Measures included the downgrading of diplomatic ties, expulsion of Pakistani military attachés, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and closure of the Attari land transit post. These decisions were finalized during a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a related development, Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Jammu and Kashmir on April 25 to meet survivors at the Government Medical College in Anantnag. He reportedly cut short his U.S. trip to attend a key Congress Working Committee meeting earlier in the day.
Separately, the Jammu and Kashmir government held its own all-party meeting in Srinagar, chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The three-hour session ended with a unanimous resolution strongly condemning the Pahalgam attack and expressing full support for the Centre’s counter-terror actions.
Reading out the resolution, Abdullah said, “These cowardly attacks are an assault on Kashmiriyat and the spirit of India. All parties in J&K reaffirm their commitment to justice and to standing united against terrorism.”
Both meetings highlighted the rare show of political unity as India grapples with the fallout of one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in recent years.