Congress leaders demand justice, accountability for Pahalgam terror attack victims

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi have spoken with Home Minister Amit Shah, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and senior party leaders from the union territory to get an update on Tuesday's horrific Pahalgam terror attack, asserting that the families of the victims deserve justice.

Kharge urged the central government to talk to all the political parties to ensure security in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress chief said that late on Tuesday night, he spoke to home minister Shah, J-K Chief Minister Abdullah, and senior J-K Congress leaders about the despicable carnage in Pahalgam that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists.

"The perpetrators of this heinous terror attack must not go unpunished. The innocent victims must get justice," Kharge said in a post on X.

"Unity in action in the wake of adversity is the need of the hour. This cross-border terror attack should be responded to with an adequate and resolute reply," he said.

"Government of India must talk to all the political parties to ensure security in Jammu and Kashmir and make every possible effort to ensure the safety of tourists," Kharge added.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also said he spoke to Shah, Abdullah, and J-K Congress chief Tariq Karra about the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam to get an update on the situation.

The Congress leader, who's currently on a visit to the US, asserted that the families of the victims deserve justice and "our fullest support".

"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," he said in a post on X.

On Tuesday, the Congress demanded the government to take accountability for the deadly terror attack instead of "making hollow claims" on the situation being normal in Jammu and Kashmir, saying an all-party meeting should be called to take all political parties into confidence.

The opposition party denounced the terror attack as a "blot on humanity" and said it should not go "unanswered effectively".

Terrorists struck a prime tourist location at Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people and injuring several others, according to officials.

The deceased included two foreigners -- from the UAE and Nepal -- and two locals, officials said.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Abdullah described the terror attack as "much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years".

Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the news of tourists being killed and injured in the "cowardly" terrorist attack in Pahalgam was "extremely condemnable" and "heartbreaking".

"I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said.

"The whole country is united against terrorism. Instead of making hollow claims on the situation being normal in Jammu and Kashmir, the government should now take accountability and take concrete steps so that such barbaric incidents do not happen in the future and innocent Indians do not lose their lives like this," the Congress leader said.