Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the government to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
In his letter, Gandhi highlighted the widespread outrage across the country following the attack and emphasized the importance of a unified political response.
“The terrorist attack in Pahalgam has outraged every Indian. At this critical time, India must show that we will always stand together against terrorism,” the letter reads.
Gandhi further stated that the Opposition believes a special session would allow elected representatives to express their unity and determination in the fight against terrorism.
“The Opposition believes that a special session of both Houses of Parliament should be convened, where the representatives of the people can show their unity and determination. We request that such a special session be convened at the earliest,” he added.
Congress President Kharge Echoes the Demand
Separately, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also wrote to Prime Minister Modi, reinforcing the call for a special parliamentary session.
In his letter, Kharge stressed that the session would provide a platform for a unified national stance and collective resolve against terrorism.
“The opposition’s beliefs in unity and solidarity are the need of the hour,” Kharge wrote, underlining that India’s elected representatives must rise above divisions at this critical time.
The requests from Gandhi and Kharge come amid growing political focus on national security, with public sentiment running high after the Pahalgam attack, one of the deadliest incidents since the Pulwama terror attack of 2019.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly’s Response
Earlier on Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly held a special session to condemn the April 22 terror attack.
During the session, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary moved a resolution condemning the attack and expressing solidarity with the victims and their families. The resolution, endorsed by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, supported the diplomatic steps taken by the Union Government following the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
The resolution was adopted unanimously, with the session adjourned sine die thereafter.
Context: India’s Strong Response
Following the Pahalgam attack, in which 26 civilians lost their lives, India has taken a series of strong diplomatic and internal security measures against Pakistan, holding it responsible for its alleged support of cross-border terrorism. The incident has reignited national debates on counter-terrorism strategies and regional security.