A terrorist attack on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Thursday, 12 November triggered sharp political reactions, with the Congress calling the incident serious and demanding additional security measures, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) warned that Pakistan would face a response for its alleged continued support of cross-border terrorism.

Congress Calls for Accountability

Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot, speaking to reporters, described the attack as deeply concerning. 'This is serious, and I believe that regardless of who claims responsibility for law and order in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India has a responsibility to live up to those claims. Jammu and Kashmir is a very important and sensitive region. A terrorist attack of this nature, particularly the attack on the CRPF, is extremely dangerous. I believe the Government of India will have to take additional precautions to ensure the safety of lives and property in the region,' Pilot said.

Congress leader Surendra Rajput went further, terming the attack 'extremely tragic' and directly holding the BJP-led government accountable. He invoked a string of past incidents — including Pulwama, Pathankot, Uri, and the Baisaran, Pahalgam attack in which 26 people were killed — to question the government's counter-terrorism record. 'Is the government during the BJP's rule so weak, so cowardly, and so incompetent that we are not even able to protect our own soldiers? If the Bharatiya Janata Party has any shame, if the Home Minister has any shame, he should resign after this incident,' Rajput said.

BJP Points Finger at Pakistan

BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana blamed Pakistan for allegedly orchestrating the attack, claiming Islamabad uses such incidents to divert attention from its own internal troubles. 'Pakistan has still not stopped its despicable activities. It carries out such heinous acts to divert attention from its internal situation. It has already learned a lesson from Operation Sindoor. When the time comes, it will receive a response,' Khatana said.

The reference to Operation Sindoor — India's military action earlier this year — signals that the BJP's political framing positions the Kulgam attack within a broader ongoing confrontation with Pakistan-backed militancy rather than as a failure of domestic security management.

West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh Weighs In

West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh acknowledged that while terrorism in Kashmir had 'almost come to an end,' the region's difficult terrain meant some militants could still be sheltering there. 'During a checking operation, terrorists attacked the Army personnel, who responded effectively. Any terrorists still hiding in the area will be tracked down,' Ghosh said.

His remarks reflect the ruling party's effort to frame the attack as an isolated remnant of a largely suppressed insurgency, rather than a sign of a resurgent threat — a characterisation the opposition has sharply contested.

Background and What Comes Next

The Kulgam district has historically been among the more volatile areas in south Kashmir, and attacks on security forces there are not new. This comes amid a broader pattern of sporadic militant activity in the valley, even as the Centre has repeatedly claimed normalcy following the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. The injured CRPF personnel are reportedly receiving medical attention; their current condition has not been officially confirmed.

Investigators are expected to determine who carried out the attack and whether it has any cross-border linkage. Political pressure on the Centre to tighten security deployments is likely to intensify as Parliament's winter session approaches.