Amit Shah talked of Nehru, my mother's tears but not why war was stopped: Priyanka

Congress MP launches scathing attack on PM Modi, says leadership not just about taking credit but also taking responsibility

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Lok Sabha on 29 July (photo: PTI)
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Lok Sabha on 29 July (photo: PTI)
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NH Political Bureau

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said leadership was not just about taking credit but also taking responsibility, and said US President Donald Trump's announcement of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan reflected PM Modi's "irresponsibility".

Participating in a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on 'India's strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam', the Congress MP said Union home minister Amit Shah talked about Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, even her mother's tears, but did not answer "why the war was halted at a time when the enemy had nowhere to go".

Expressing gratitude and pride in the Indian armed forces for protecting the nation’s sovereignty, she demanded accountability from the government over the Pahalgam terror attack, questioning intelligence lapses, delayed action and absence of political responsibility.

"Leadership is not just about taking credit but responsibility also needs to be taken... (For the) first time in the history of our country, this happened that a war was stopped abruptly and the announcement of the decision was done by the US President. This is reflective of the irresponsibility of our prime minister," Priyanka said.

She asked whether it was not the responsibility of the PM, home minister, defence minister, and national security advisor to ensure people's security.

A combative Priyanka also took on Shah for his remarks earlier in the day when he cited then Union minister Salman Khurshid's remarks to claim that then Congress president Sonia Gandhi "cried for the Batla House terrorists".

"My mother's tears were talked about in the House, I want to answer this. My mother's tears fell when her husband was martyred by terrorists, when she was only 44 years old. Today, I am standing in this House and talking about those 26 people (who were killed in Pahalgam) because I know their pain and feel it," Priyanka said.

"Did the government not know thousands of tourists go to Baisaran Valley...? Why there was no security there? Why they were left at God's mercy?" she asked.

Was no government agency in the know that such a dastardly terror attack was going to happen and a plot was being hatched in Pakistan, she asked.

"It is a big failure of our government and intelligence agencies. Who will take responsibility of this? Has anyone resigned? They keep talking about the past but who will answer about what is happening in the present?" she said.

She also highlighted the government’s delay in designating Pakistan-based terror outfit The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist group. Since its emergence in 2020, Priyanka said the TRF had carried out 25 attacks, killing 41 armed forces personnel and 27 civilians. Yet, the Centre declared it a terror outfit only in 2023, she charged.

She said the purpose of Operation Sindoor was to teach Pakistan a lesson, but perhaps this purpose remains unfulfilled, because "our diplomacy has failed".

"The proof of this is that after Operation Sindoor, a Pakistani general, whose hands were stained with blood, was having lunch with the American president. If the purpose of Operation Sindoor was to eliminate terrorism, then Pakistan being chosen as the chairman of the United Nations' 'Counter-Terrorism Committee' has dealt a blow to this purpose. Will our prime minister take responsibility for this, do they have the courage?" she asked.

"This government always tries to evade questions...for this government, everything is politics, PR, propaganda, publicity. This government is engrossed in propaganda, which the public cannot see," she said.

With PTI inputs

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Published: 29 Jul 2025, 4:40 PM