New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday demanded that the Centre reveal the outcome of the probe into the 2019 Pulwama incident in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed and asked why the paramilitary personnel were “denied” aircraft and made to commute by road despite the terror attack threat.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP-led Union government of “minimum governance and maximum silence” and asked for its response to the allegations made by Satypal Malik who was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir at the time of the Pulwama terror attack.
“It is the government’s responsibility to answer,” he said, adding that the Congress will continue to ask questions that concern national security.
There has been no reaction from the government since Malik’s interview to a news portal was released, while the BJP has said that there were serious questions about his credibility and cited various statements made by him in recent years.
Tagging the interview, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi: “To whom does Rs 20,000 crore belong – why is the prime minister so afraid of answering this question?”
In another tweet on Friday night, Gandhi repeated the reported statement of Satyapal Malik, saying, “The prime minister does not hate corruption very much.”
Ramesh also said on Twitter, “The Home Minister should stop trying to play Narada Muni and address the very serious charges levelled against his Saheb by his own party colleague, Satyapal Malik.”
In another tweet, he said the probe into the Pulwama incident assumes fresh significance in the light of former Malik’s “revelations”.
“Former governor Satyapal Malik has made sensational revelations in an interview. And now every effort is being made to suppress the issues raised in the interview but the truth will not be suppressed. These are very serious and important questions that are related to national security,” Ramesh said.
“Asking questions is our duty, we will not stop, no matter how long the PM remains mute and whatever threats come our way,” he also said.
Addressing a joint press conference along with party leaders Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate, Ramesh alleged that the government has created buildings as symbols of democracy but democracy is missing.
Shrinate asked, “Why were the CRPF personnel denied an aircraft? Why were they not airlifted?”
“Why were the Jaish threats ignored? Why were 11 intelligence inputs, between January 02, 2019 and February 13, 2019 that had warned of a terror attack ignored?” she said and asked how militants could procure 300 kgs of RDX.
“After over four years, where has the inquiry into the Pulwama terror attack reached? Where, when, how and who will fix the accountability for NSA Shri Ajit Doval and then Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh?” she asked.
Khera also said the interview had raised several questions including why did the prime minister ask Malik to “remain silent”.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also said the BJP-led central government must respond to claims made by Malik on the Pulwama terror attack.
“Allegations have been levelled against the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Centre. The matter is linked to the security of the nation and the martyrdom of jawans.
“If the then governor has made such statements and accusations, then the Centre must reply to it,” Baghel told reporters while replying to queries.
