PM Modi cancelled Kashmir visit after getting intel 3 days before Pahalgam attack: Kharge

Ranchi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled a scheduled visit to Kashmir after receiving an intelligence alert about a possible terror strike—three days before the deadly Pahalgam attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

Speaking at the ‘Samvidhan Bachao’ rally in Ranchi, Kharge accused the Centre of failing to act on the warning, reported PTI. “When the Prime Minister was alerted about a security threat and decided to cancel his visit, why weren’t security forces reinforced to protect civilians and tourists in the region?” he asked.

He further claimed that the Modi government admitted to an "intelligence failure" during a recent all-party meeting, and questioned why timely preventive measures weren’t taken despite prior warnings.

“The Centre must be held accountable for this failure. If the threat was serious enough for the PM to change his plans, why was no additional deployment made to safeguard lives?” he said.

Despite the criticism, Kharge affirmed that the Congress would support any strong action taken by the government against Pakistan, stating, “For us, the nation stands above party, religion, and caste.”