'Are you super-BJP man?' Cong leader asks Tharoor for remarks on Pahalgam attack

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor sparked controversy by defending the 'intelligence lapses' on the part of the BJP-led Centre in the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir which killed 26 people.

Speaking to ANI, Tharoor suggested that intelligence lapses are universal, saying that people should not focus on the government's failures right now. He gave the example of Israel's intelligence failure during Hamas' sudden October 7 assault on them.

Reacting to his remarks, Congress leader Udit Raj on Monday (April 28) slammed his party colleague Shashi Tharoor and questioned his loyalty to the party. Raj wondered if the former was speaking for his party, the Congress or aligning himself with the ruling BJP.

Also Read: 'You don't ask a murderer...': Tharoor on Pak's offer for 'neutral probe' into Pahalgam

'Lapses are normal'

Tharoor on Sunday (April 27) had said that there may have been an intelligence failure in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack but he compared it to the October 7, 2023, Hamas strike that caught Israel — known for its robust intelligence network — by surprise.

"It seems to me, just as Israel is waiting till the end of the war before they demand accountability, similarly, I think we too should see the present crisis through and then demand accountability from the government. No country can ever have a foolproof 100 per cent intelligence," he said.

Also Read: Pahalgam tragedy presents a glimmer of hope the government should seize

Tharoor also added that while successful prevention of terror attacks often goes unnoticed, failures tend to attract greater attention.

"We will never know about the various terror attacks that were successfully thwarted. We only learn about the ones that we failed to thwart. This is normal in any nation. There were failures, I agree, but that should not be our main focus right now...," the Congress leader said.

Sharp criticism

Congress leader Udit Raj hit out at Tharoor’s political allegiance and asked whether he was aligned with the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Raj asked if Tharoor was trying to become a "super-BJP man" and whether he had been appointed as the BJP’s spokesperson.

Udit Raj also challenged Tharoor’s defense of intelligence failures, pointing out that during Congress rule, BJP leaders blamed the Centre for security lapses like the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

He also pressed Tharoor to question the BJP government about reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), instead of seemingly offering cover for intelligence shortcomings.

"Congress is not in power, yet BJP keeps criticising from time to time. It is said that during Congress rule terrorists used to kill and get away, so shouldn't you ask how they killed and got away in Uri, Pathankot, Pulwama and Pahalgam?", he added.

Also Read: Onus of Pahalgam massacre is on Centre, but Omar will bear the brunt

Raj further targeted Tharoor’s analogy with Israel, questioning why he did not address America’s post-9/11 counter-terrorism record?

Pahalgam attack

The April 22 attack in Pahalgam left 26 dead, including a Nepali tourist, at the popular Baisaran meadow.

A massive hunt has been launched to track down the terrorists, with the Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir police cordoning off the area.

In its aftermath, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, shut down its borders and expelled Pakistani nationals residing in India. In a tit-for-tat gesture, Pakistan has terminated the Shimla agreement, restricted its airspace to Indian airlines and stopped trade with India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also vowed to "identify, track and punish" every terrorist and their "backers" who were behind the Pahalgam attack.

As tensions between Pakistan and India continue to escalate, the UN has called for “maximum restraint” amid warnings of wider military actions on both sides.