BALLIA: Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari strongly criticized the targeting of Muslims and Kashmiri students in various parts of the country following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He also accused the central government of failing to prevent the attack and demanded action against Pakistan.
Speaking to PTI during a family function at the residence of Ballia MP Sanatan Pandey, Ansari said the attack was a result of security failure under the Narendra Modi-led government.
"The Pahalgam incident is a failure of the Narendra Modi-led central government. The site of the attack is 150 kilometres away from the Pakistan border. How did terrorists gain the courage to reach so deep into Indian territory? This is the time for a strong response. If there is no internal complicity, India must retaliate and reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as its own," Ansari said.
He condemned recent incidents of violence against Muslims and Kashmiri students, citing attacks by right-wing groups in Patiala, Punjab, and the vandalism of Muslim-owned shops in Haryana.
Ansari alleged that both foreign terrorists and those spreading communal hatred in India share the same mindset.
"Terrorists who come from Pakistan to kill innocent civilians and those who try to spread hatred in India in the name of religion and caste have the same mindset. The people of this country have started recognizing them," he said.
He further claimed that some domestic violent incidents are being carried out by elements supported by the government.
"The government is patronising such elements due to which they are doing hooliganism in the name of religion and caste. While Kashmiri students and Muslims are being harassed in some places, dalit MP Ramji Lal Suman is being threatened," he added.
Calling for decisive action, Ansari emphasized the need to bring PoK under Indian control.
"The entire country is united on this. It is the right time to integrate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir into India. They must be punished for their crimes, and what belongs to India must return to India," the SP leader said.
He also spoke about the caste-based census and credited SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for pushing the central government to act on it.
"In the coming times, the government will have to grant rightful entitlements to the deprived sections of society, based on the results of the caste census," he said.