New Delhi, April 23 (NationPress) In alignment with the statements made by AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi, senior leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP), Ram Gopal Yadav, characterized the Pahalgam terror attack as a distinct failure of the nation’s intelligence agencies.

Owaisi had on the same day asserted that the Pahalgam terror strike stemmed from an intelligence lapse. He urged the Narendra Modi administration to ensure accountability for the incident, labeling it as more alarming, condemnable, and painful than the previous occurrences in Uri and Pulwama.

In a conversation with IANS, Ram Gopal Yadav expressed, "First and foremost, the assault on tourists in the village is profoundly tragic and disheartening. I extend my condolences to the families of those who perished. However, the core issue transcends who was present or absent — our primary concern is that the Amarnath Yatra is about to commence, a period historically rife with terrorist threats. Pahalgam serves as the initial base camp for the yatra, and if adequate security measures were not implemented, or if intelligence agencies failed to foresee such a significant attack, this clearly indicates a breakdown within these agencies."

"Moreover, there appears to be no apprehension among terrorists who are being indoctrinated and dispatched from across the border. The government ought to have taken vigorous action by this point, particularly targeting the infiltration routes in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). However, the government seems devoid of the intent and determination to act resolutely. These issues are only amplified during election periods. Despite this grave occurrence, no tangible measures have been initiated yet," he continued.

Ram Gopal Yadav also addressed reports that the assailants questioned victims about their identities prior to the killings.

"Why is it not emphasized that individuals from both Hindu and Muslim communities fell victim to this attack? Regrettably, such incidents are politicized. If the government genuinely aimed to eradicate terrorism, it would have achieved this by now. Unfortunately, it appears to benefit them politically. In any other nation, there would have been immediate and robust retaliation," he remarked.

When asked if dialogue with Pakistan could facilitate resolution of such conflicts, he dismissed the notion.

"There is no resolution through discussions with Pakistan," he asserted.

He also negated any correlation between the abrogation of Article 370 and the surge in terrorist activities.

"There exists no connection between Article 370 and terrorism. Terrorism is cultivated and backed by Pakistan, and this is common knowledge," Ram Gopal Yadav remarked.

Referring to the resolute stance of the late Mulayam Singh Yadav, founder of SP and former Defence Minister, he stated, "When Mulayam Singh visited Siachen as Defence Minister and encountered Pakistani gunfire, he inquired with Lt General AK Singh about the circumstances. Everyone is aware of his response. Subsequently, when the Indian Army retaliated forcefully, Pakistan was compelled to raise white flags."

The senior SP leader articulated his party's position unambiguously. "Our party's stance is to eradicate terrorism through decisive political will. If deemed necessary, we support deploying the Indian Army into PoK to eliminate this threat once and for all."