BJP driving a wedge between Hindus and Muslims, alleges APCC chief Sharmila

Congress party leaders at the executive meeting in Vijayawada on Friday.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y. S. Sharmila on Friday said the attack on tourists in Pahalgam exposed complete failure of the Intelligence wing.

Speaking at the party’s executive meeting here, she said it was a complete failure on the security front, as the Army did not arrive even after the attack.

Accusing the BJP of “using intelligence and surveillance systems for its own interests,” she said why did the Pahalgam tragedy happen despite the presence of 10 lakh soldiers in Kashmir.

Alleging that the BJP was trying to create a Hindu-Muslim divide by “building a narrative that Hindus were killed because of their religion,” she said there was a Muslim among the deceased.

She said Kashmir was promoted as a safe tourist destination and now the government admitted lack of security. She demanded that the government own responsibility for loss of innocent civilian lives and step down.

Congress Working Committee (CWC) member K. Raju said the party would continue its fight against the BJP, which was insulting the Constitution. “The Constitution provides equal rights to all, but the BJP governs in a way that benefits only a few. We will expose the BJP’s stance,” he said. The party would launch a State-wide 40-day campaign to expose “flawed policies of the BJP,” he said.

AICC’s incharge for Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh Manickam Tagore, senior party leaders N. Raghuveera Reddy and N. Thulasi Reddy, APCC vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji and others were present. In the evening, the party leaders took out a candlelight march in solidarity with the bereaved family members of the terror attack.