Time to teach Pakistan a lesson, says Trinamool’s Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

Trinamool Congress leader and MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday asserted that it is time to teach Pakistan a lesson and reclaim the portion of Kashmir occupied by the neighbouring country. The remark by Trinamool Congress general secretary comes days after a terror attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 claimed 26 lives, including 25 tourists and a pony driver.

“It’s time we rise above such petty politics and confront this issue decisively, once and for all. This is not the moment for more surgical strikes or symbolic threats to Pakistan. It’s time to TEACH THEM A LESSON in the language they understand. It’s time to RECLAIM Pakistan Occupied KASHMIR (PoK),” Mr. Banerjee posted on social media.

The Diamond Harbour MP claimed that he has been “closely following the conduct of the mainstream media and those at the helm of Union Govt” over the past few days, the TMC leader said, “Instead of deeply investigating the lapses that led to this unprecedented terror attack in Pahalgam, they seem more focused on pushing a narrative that benefits a particular political party.” he wrote on social media.

The remarks by the Trinamool Congress leader comes at a time when leaders of his party have raised questions on the Union government over security lapses resulting in the terrorist attack. Trinamool MPs have also raised questions on the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the all party meeting on April 25. Trinamool Congress chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has not spoken much about the attack and said that terrorists have no religion. Her government has announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the next of the kin of the killed tourists.

NIA team records statement of victims

A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday visited the family members of Bitan Adhikari, one of the 26 people killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, in Kolkata to record their statements. The visit came on the day when NIA formally took over the Pahalgam terror attack case. An NIA had on Saturday visited the residence of Samir Guha, another deceased in the Pahalgam terror attack, in Kolkata’s Behala area to record statements of his family members. Three tourists from the State had died in the terror attack.

Family of missing BSF jawan to visit bordering areas

The wife of BSF jawan Purnam Sahu who has been detained by Pakistan Rangers after inadvertently crossing the international border on Sunday said she would visit Ferozepur in Punjab. The wife said that she would visit the bordering areas to gather information from senior officials of the force about efforts to bring back her husband. A team of officials of the BSF visited the residence of the family at Rishra in Hooghly district. Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee on Saturday spoke to the BSF Director General Daljit Chawdhary regarding the detention of the BSF . He said that the government agencies and officials are making every effort to ensure his secure return to India.