'Why Were Security Personnel Absent?': Mamata Blames Centre's 'Callousness' For Pahalgam Terror Attack

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday blamed the Centre for the Pahalgam terror attack. She also hit out at the BJP, saying that the party was "politicising the valour of the armed forces".

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday blamed the Centre for the Pahalgam terror attack.

Source : PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday blamed the central government for the Pahalgam terror attack, raising questions over the absence of security personnel at the Baisaran Valley site, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed on April 22. She also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to "politicise army's valour," but lauded the armed forces for their bravery, agreeing that there was a need to teach a lesson to the terrorists, referring to Operation Sindoor.

"Pahalgam terror attack result of Centre's callousness, and BJP is trying to politicise valour of armed forces," Mamata Banerjee said in Bengal Assembly. "Why security personnel were absent at terror attack site in Pahalgam?" she asked.

She continued to slam the BJP-led Centre over the attack, saying, "Not a single Police personnel was deployed. I demand that arrest the terrorist first...For the country's security, there is a need to tighten BSF and other agencies...I said Central government should be more powerful, they were a total failure."

"There was need to teach (terrorists) a lesson, we salute bravery of armed forces," the Bengal CM added.

Oppn Protests Over Banerjee's Allegations Against Centre

Bengal Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution lauding the valour of the armed forces for launching precision strikes on terror hubs in Pakistan and PoJK. The resolution hailed the army for their “unwavering courage in safeguarding the nation’s security,” and was passed without opposition. However, chaos erupted during the discussions following Mamata Banerjee's remarks over the Pahalgam attack. 

Notably, the text of the resolution did not mention the term 'Operation Sindoor', while talking about the May 7 precision strikes.

As the Bengal CM launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre, alleging that intelligence and security lapses led to the terror attack, BJP MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, began shouting slogans in protest over her allegations. They even accused Banerjee of politicising a national tragedy.

Following this, a heated verbal duel broke out between the BJP and TMC members, forcing the speaker to intervene. However, the resolution was later adopted unanimously once order was restored in the assembly.

Bengal Assembly Convenes For Monsoon Session 

The Bengal Assembly convened for the monsoon session on Monday, June 9, and began with Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay offering condolences to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, around 30 BJP MLAs on Monday offered condolences to the father-son duo Hargobinda Das and Chandan Das, the victims of Murshidabad violence, outside the Bengal assembly premises. BJP leader Shankar Ghosh led the protests in front of the stairs of the assembly building, saying it was regrettable and shameful that the state did not think it proper to include the duo's names in the condolence message by tthe Speaker.