Amarnath yatra terror attack: Centre needs to introspect on security failure, says Opposition

New Delhi: Opposition parties on Tuesday asked the government to introspect on its failure to prevent the “cowardly and ghastly” terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims despite advance intelligence inputs. [caption id=“attachment_3566725” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Rahul Gandhi. PTI[/caption] Eighteen Opposition parties, which met at Parliament Library to decide on their vice presidential candidate, unanimously passed a resolution against Monday’s terror strike, which they termed an attack on humanity and on India’s plurality and diversity. “The government needs to introspect as to why, despite advanced intelligence inputs, was there a failure to prevent this attack?” the resolution said. “We the leaders of the Opposition parties strongly condemn the cowardly and ghastly terrorist attack on the Amarnath yatris,” the resolution said. The parties, the resolution added, extended their deepest sympathies to families of the victims with whom they stood in this hour of grief. “This is an attack on humanity. This is an attack on the plurality and diversity of India. This is an attack on the human values and Kashmiriyat. “We call upon the government to use all the resources at its command to bring the real masterminds and perpetrators of this inhuman act to justice.” Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also termed it a “grave and unacceptable security lapse” and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept responsibility. “This is a grave and unacceptable security lapse. The prime minister needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again… “India will never be intimidated by these terrorist cowards,” he tweeted. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the leaders of 18 Opposition parties observed a two-minute silence at the start of the meeting in memory of the Amarnath yatris killed in Kashmir. Seven people, including six women, were killed on Monday night when terrorists attacked their bus. The meeting was convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and attended by former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda. Top Opposition leaders, including JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s Sudhakar Reddy, TMC’s Derek O’Brien, SP’s Naresh Agarwal, BSP’s Satish Chandra Misra, NC’s Omar Abdullah and NCP’s Praful Patel, attended the meeting. Others who participated in the meeting included Jai Prakash Yadav of the RJD, Ajit Singh of the RLD and Hemant Soren of the JMM. Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ahmed Patel, were also present.