Pahalgam Massacre: Why Couldn't Security Forces Arrive in Time?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Saayoni Ghosh raises critical questions in Parliament about the Pahalgam massacre.
- Concerns about the effectiveness of security forces and intelligence agencies.
- Discussion on the intelligence failures leading to the incident.
- Critique of Operation Mahadev and its reported outcomes.
- The missed opportunity to reclaim Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Kolkata, July 28 (NationPress) Saayoni Ghosh, a member of the Trinamool Congress and actress turned politician from the Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal, raised a crucial question in Parliament regarding the tragic Pahalgam massacre. She inquired why security forces failed to arrive promptly at the location in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 tourists lost their lives at the hands of four terrorists in April this year.
"I want to understand why security personnel could not reach the scene swiftly, while both tourists and terrorists managed to do so with ease. If I voice this concern, I fear being labeled as anti-national. The current trend seems to dictate that only those echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi are deemed 'nationalists', while anyone questioning the situation is quickly labeled as 'anti-national'," Ghosh stated during a debate on Operation Sindoor in Parliament during the Monsoon session.
She further questioned the rationale behind extending the tenure of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Chief Tapan Kumar Deka, despite the evident intelligence failures that led to the Pahalgam incident. "You should have dismissed him to send a clear message that there will be no tolerance for intelligence failures in our country's security framework," she asserted.
Ghosh also pointed out discrepancies in the reported numbers of terrorists neutralized during Operation Mahadev. "Yesterday, the figure was stated as one, and now it has increased to three. Had discussions commenced two months ago, perhaps we would have observed these outcomes earlier," she remarked.
Additionally, she questioned India's missed opportunity to reclaim Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) during Operation Sindoor, despite the Union government’s long-standing claims that this territory rightfully belongs to India.
In her remarks, she noted that despite having a strategic advantage during Operation Sindoor, the Indian government yielded to external pressures, compromising its internal affairs. She highlighted that a ceasefire was agreed upon just three days later, with an announcement made by US President Donald Trump.