Teach Pakistan a lesson for Pahalgam, says Congress Working Committee

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party leaders during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, at party headquarters, 24 Akbar Road, in New Delhi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Urging the Narendra Modi government to “isolate and penalise Pakistan for its continued export of terror,” the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday (May 2, 2025) also insisted on a “time-bound accountability into the serious security and intelligence lapses” in Pahalgam, located in one of the most heavily-guarded regions of the country.

The party’s highest decision making body also demanded a “clear timeline” for every stage of the caste census while reiterating its stance on removing the “arbitrary ceiling” of 50% on reservations for scheduled caste (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and other backward classes (OBCs) and have quotas for these social groups in private educational institutes.

Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, while addressing a joint press conference with senior leaders on the proceedings of the CWC, kicked off a controversy by demanding proof for the earlier surgical strikes. “I have always been asking for it,” Mr. Channi said.

Two resolutions

Earlier, the CWC adopted two separate resolutions in a meeting, chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and attended by former party chief Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal and other general secretaries including Jairam Ramesh and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others.

“The entire country awaits accountability, answers and justice. In the face of such an unforgivable provocation, the Congress believes this is not a time for politics but a moment that calls for unity, strength, and national resolve. We must rise above partisan divides and send out an unambiguous message that India stands together, and will not be broken,” the resolution said.

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“This is a time for demonstrating our collective will as a nation to teach Pakistan a lesson and curb terrorism decisively. The masterminds and perpetrators of this cowardly attack must face the full consequences of their actions. The Congress urges the Centre to act with firmness, strategic clarity, and international coordination to isolate and penalise Pakistan for its continued export of terror into our territory,” the CWC noted.

In the closed door meeting, Mr. Gandhi said the government must find out the terrorist and punish them while stressing on the need to back the government’s action. Ms. Vadra said the party must focus on accountability more than asking for an inquiry into the security lapse.

In his opening remarks to the CWC, Mr. Kharge said the government had not come out with any clear strategy to deal with the situation arising out of the Pahalgam terror attack, even as he asserted that the entire Opposition was backing the Centre on the issue.

The CWC resolution on Pahalgam terror attack was moved by Randeep Surjewala while Sachin Pilot moved the one on social justice and caste census.

Expressing “surprise” at the timing of the caste census announcement, Mr. Kharge credited Mr. Gandhi for the government’s decision to conduct a caste survey.

“Parliament must immediately have a debate on this issue. The government must immediately allocate the necessary funds and announce a clear timeline for every stage of the census, from the preparation of the questionnaire and methodology to the actual enumeration, classification and eventual publication of the data,” the CWC resolution said, while offering help to design the caste survey on the lines of the Telangana model.