Congress slams centre for failing to curb resurgence of terrorism

Srinagar, Sep 14: As the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections draw closer, Congress on Saturday ramped up its criticism of the Central Government, accusing it of failing to curb the resurgence of terrorism in Union Territory.

While addressing a press conference here Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said that the spike in terror attacks since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term began, emphasizing that Jammu, once free from insurgency, is now witnessing renewed violence.

Shrinate said that there have been 25 terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir within the 98 days since Modi’s latest swearing-in, resulting in the deaths of 21 security personnel and 15 civilians. Additionally, 28 security personnel and 47 civilians were injured in these incidents. "Who will answer for this? Jammu was peaceful, but now we are seeing terror attacks again in places like Doda and Reasi," Shrinate said.

This narrative from Congress comes in the context of the upcoming Assembly elections, where Congress has allied with the National Conference (NC) to challenge the ruling BJP. The alliance between NC and Congress has positioned itself as a formidable force, focusing on local governance, regional stability, and the growing security concerns in the Union Territory.

Shrinate also paid tribute to the two soldiers killed in a recent encounter in Kishtwar and accused the Prime Minister for not offering public condolences since 2019. She claimed that PM Modi had stopped acknowledging the sacrifices made by soldiers and police officers in Jammu and Kashmir.

"PM Modi tweets about small issues and travels across the world, but has not offered tributes to our martyrs since 2019," Shrinate alleged, accusing the Prime Minister of wanting to project an image that “everything is alright” in Jammu and Kashmir.

The criticism comes at a crucial time as both NC and Congress are striving to regain political ground in J&K. They argue that the BJP has not only failed to deliver on its promises of peace and prosperity after the abrogation of Article 370 but has also overseen a period of increasing instability.

With Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape in flux, the upcoming elections are expected to be closely fought. The NC-Congress alliance is banking on public discontent over the handling of security and governance issues, while the BJP continues to push its narrative of development and anti-dynastic politics. As the election campaign intensifies, security concerns in UT are likely to become a key electoral issue, potentially shaping the outcome in key constituencies.