Priyanka Vadra Effective On Pahalgam Lapses But Falters On Hindu Card

It was quite refreshing to hear Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra take on the government for failing to protect the lives of tourists at Pahalgam.  She was sharp, witty and able to ask the government some pointed questions on security lapses that took the lives of 26 hapless tourists. She wanted to know why no heads had rolled the way then UPA government had forced men responsible for lapses — post 26/11 Mumbai terror strike in 2008.  Maharashtra’s then CM late Vilasrao Deshmukh had to quit so too Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil. In his initial remarks Home Minister Amit Shah did admit it was a security lapse and accepted responsibility for it. What worked for him was that the Pahalgam masterminds had been gunned down and he briefed the House with details. At the same time, Priyanka was seen faltering by refusing to accept that the terrorists were Pak-sponsored or that they had a definite communal agenda. She refused to accept that the Pahalgam victims were Hindus and opted to declare them as “Bharatiya” or Indians. It was odd that the Malappuram MP should deny the faith of victims considering the male victims were killed after asking them to recite an Islamic prayer — kalma. Possibly compulsion of her vote bank in Kerala. Zeroing in on Priyanka ambivalence about victims’ faith, BJPs’ Amit Malviya expressed shock over the Congress’s “shocking refusal to acknowledge that the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack were targeted for being Hindus” shows exactly ‘why the party remains disconnected from the sentiments of this nation and why it has no future in Indian politics.”