What lessons learnt from Pahalgam, and why was Red Fort attack not stopped: Cong asks Centre

New Delhi, Nov 13 Congress leader Pawan Khera, Chairman of the Media and Publicity Department at the All India Congress Committee, issued a sharp condemnation of the Union Government on Thursday over what he described as repeated 'Intelligence failures' following the terror attack near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed 12 innocent people and left dozens injured. He asked what lessons were learnt from the Pahalgam terror strike, and why was this attack not stopped.

"The blast, which took place in the shadow of the historic monument symbolising India’s independence, has triggered widespread grief and renewed questions about national security," the senior leader said.

The Indian National Congress expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and those injured, stating that the country stands united against terrorism in all its forms.

However, Khera accused the government of allowing confusion to persist for days by delaying official confirmation that the explosion was a terror attack.

"It took the Union Cabinet 48 hours to acknowledge what the nation already knew," he said, asking why such a delay occurred and why the strike in the heart of the national Capital could not be prevented.

The recovery of nearly 2,900 kilograms of explosives linked to the incident has intensified concerns over surveillance lapses, he said.

Khera demanded to know how such a massive quantity of explosives entered the national Capital undetected and who would be held accountable.

He highlighted an alleged pattern of security failures under the current administration, citing a series of major attacks since 2015; Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Pampore, Uri, Nagrota, the Amarnath Yatra attack, Pulwama, Rajouri, Reasi, the Pahalgam strike just seven months ago, and now the Red Fort blast.

Each, he noted, was labeled an Intelligence failure. "What lessons were learned from Pahalgam, and why was this attack not stopped?" he asked.

Khera directly challenged Home Minister Amit Shah, questioning whether he would take responsibility given the long list of incidents during his tenure and why such breaches continue despite repeated warnings.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s declaration of a “new normal” in counter-terrorism after the Pahalgam terror attack, Khera asked whether the government would now deliver on that promise.

He demanded to know if the administration would pursue swift justice against those responsible, if Prime Minister Modi would personally chair an all-party meeting to build a unified national response, and if the upcoming Parliament session would be advanced to discuss the blast and rising internal security threats.

"Unity in action is the need of the hour," Khera emphasised, calling for close coordination between the Centre and state governments, stronger engagement with all political parties, and urgent measures to protect citizens and tourists, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.

With investigations going on and public anger growing, the Congress has signalled it will continue pressing the NDA government for answers and accountability.

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