BENGALURU: Even as AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said it was not the time for politics and blame-game over the terror attack in Kashmir, senior Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister G Parameshwara and IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge, blamed intelligence failure by central agencies for the attack.
While Parameshwara said the Centre should take a serious note of the failure of intelligence agencies, Priyank said, “When the so-called Chanakya Home Minister is busy toppling governments, breaking parties and rigging elections, this is what happens.”
Siddaramaiah said, “This should not have happened. I condemn it. There is intelligence failure.”
Parameshwara said India has a strong military intelligence network and the agencies have done a great job earlier. “Now, why did intelligence fail? How did these terrorists come there? These are big questions,’’ he said. The terrorists targeted Hindus and it is a matter of concern. The Centre should for the organisation that has claimed responsibility and take action, he said.
“The government should check if any insiders helped these terrorists, including people in the Army. We don’t know if the Centre reduced military presence as there was peace. I am not saying BJP or the government is a failure. During such times, we should be above party,” he said.
Priyank Kharge said if Union Home Minister Amit Shah had shown the same interest to monitor foreign threats as he does to snoop on opposition party leaders or making Jay Shah, ICC President, maybe China wouldn’t be squatting on Indian land and maybe this unfortunate attack could’ve been prevented.
“This Government will downplay the incident, will under report the casualties, will definitely use this tragedy to stir communal tension or blame Congress as usual. Does the PM have the guts to order HM Shah’s resignation? Will the RSS’ aggression be limited only to Vijayadashami Utsav speeches and aggression on minorities and Dalits? Do they have it in them to show the PM the door,’’ he questioned.