'Audacity Of Terrorists Won't Hamper Development': Rahul Gandhi Condemns J&K Terror Attack, PDP Seeks Answers

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Taking the Congress line that development works in the Valley will not be hampered by such acts, he said the incident is a “cowardly and unforgivable crime”.

“The killing of many people, including a doctor and migrant labourers, in the terrorist attack in Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir, is a very cowardly and unforgivable crime,” (translated) he said in Hindi on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

He added: “I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. The audacity of terrorists will never be able to hamper the development of Jammu and Kashmir or break the faith of the people. The whole country is united in this fight against terrorism.”

His comments were among several political reactions over the incident that took place on Sunday (October 20). Seven persons, including a doctor and non-local labourers, were killed in a terror attack.

Terrorists opened fire on a camp housing labourers of a private company working on the construction of the Z-Morh tunnel in the Gagangir area of the Sonamarg region. The attack was orchestrated by the terrorist group ‘The Resistance Front (TRF)’, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The incident comes four days after a new government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was sworn in. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), however, questioned the claims of normalcy made by the BJP-led government at the Centre. It said the government should take responsibility and explain the reasons behind such attacks.

“It was a heart-rending incident… We condemn this in the strongest of words. There is no place for violence in any society… Killing seven people, who had come here away from their homes, cannot resolve any issue… Be it our party chief or leaders, everyone has condemned this. We have reiterated that if there is any issue, it can be resolved only through dialogues…” said PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan.

He added: “The government says again that the situation here is fine now. I think through this, the government is trying to challenge such elements and telling them that we have restored normalcy here. When incidents like this happen, it raises questions about the claims of normalcy by the government… Government should take responsibility for this situation and tell people what are the reasons behind this.”

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said such terror attacks against those “working on building the nation” are condemnable. “Acts of terrorism undermine global peace efforts and have no place in a civilised world,” he said in a post on X.

He added: “The attacks against innocent laborers in Gagangir, Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir, who were working on building the nation are condemnable in the strongest terms. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families, and prayers for the injured.”

The Lok Sabha MP from Reasi, Jugal Kishore Sharma also condemned the “dastardly act of terrorism” by “coward terrorists”. “I strongly condemn the dastardly act of terrorism in Kashmir, coward terrorists targeted the innocent laborers in Gagangir, Sonamarg. My heartfelt tribute to the martyred labourers and extend my deepest condolences to their families, I pray for the speedy recovery of the injureds,” (sic) he said in a post on X.

The Congress, meanwhile, said this “inhumane and despicable act” of targeted violence will not deter India in building key infrastructure projects in the union territory. In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal where several construction workers and a doctor have been killed.”

He added: “This inhumane and despicable act of targeted violence shall not deter India in building key infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir. As a nation, we are together in our fight against terrorism. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. We wish the injured a speedy recovery.”

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condoled the deaths in the terror attack and said killing innocent civilians and spreading violence and terror among the people are crimes against humanity. In a post in Hindi on X, she said the killing of civilians in a cowardly terrorist attack in Ganderbal is highly condemnable.

“Acts like killing innocent civilians and spreading violence and terror among the general public are crimes against humanity. The whole country is united against this. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” she said, echoing Rahul Gandhi.

(With PTI inputs)