Hold Parl session, PM-led all-party meet for joint strategy, says Cong

The party criticised the Centre for taking 48 hours to officially declare the explosion a terror attack, calling the delay “shocking and unacceptable”.

Referring to the PM’s earlier remarks on the “new normal” after the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, the Congress questioned whether that doctrine would guide the government’s counter-terror response this time as well.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera questioned who would be held accountable for the security lapse.

He alleged that the government had “failed the people yet again”. “It took the Centre two full days to call the incident, what the entire nation already knew, a terror attack. Why was the truth withheld from citizens for 48 hours? Who will take responsibility for this catastrophic failure,” he asked.

Expressing condolences to the victims’ families, the Congress said the explosion had exposed grave and repeated lapses in the country’s security system.

“For three days, confusion and speculation were allowed to fester, while the government hesitated to act with clarity,” Khera said.

Citing reports that nearly 2,900 kilograms of explosives were recovered in connection with the blast, he questioned how such material entered the Capital undetected.

Targeting Home Minister Amit Shah, Khera mentioned the series of major terror attacks that have taken place under Shah’s tenure -- including the 2015 Gurdaspur attack, Pathankot and Pampore attacks in 2016, the attack on the Amarnath Yatra in 2017, the 2019 Pulwama bombing, Rajouri attack in 2023, Reasi attack in 2024 and the Pahalgam killings this year.

The Congress spokesperson asked whether Shah would accept responsibility for the latest incident. He further said, “The national capital has been hit within just seven months of the Pahalgam terror attack. What lessons has the Home Ministry learned?”

Khera said, “Despite so many failures, the Home Minister continues to remain in office. The government owes the nation an answer on why its intelligence machinery is collapsing repeatedly.”

“Will the government act on its so-called ‘new normal’ to bring the perpetrators to justice? Will the Prime Minister personally lead a unified political response through an all-party meeting? Will the Parliament session be advanced to discuss the deteriorating state of internal security,” he asked.

Calling for unity in action, the Congress said the government must engage all political parties to forge a cohesive national security strategy and strengthen coordination with the state governments.

“This terror attack bears the clear imprint of external support and sustenance. The Centre must respond with transparency, urgency and resolve to restore public confidence in India’s internal security,” the party said.