Terrorism not Hindu-Muslim issue, must be dealt with by building consensus: CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar

New Delhi [India], April 25 (ANI): The CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar strongly condemned the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of innocent tourists. He expressed deep condolences to the victims' families and said that he stood in full solidarity with those affected by this cowardly act of terror.
CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar said, "The government must deal with terrorism with utmost seriousness and act decisively to isolate its sponsors--both diplomatically and financially--by mobilising global opinion and taking the entire nation into confidence."
Speaking on the all-party meeting convened in the wake of the attack, P Sandosh Kumar said, "Instead of fostering consensus, the meeting became a public relations exercise. The Prime Minister, as head of the government, should have attended, shared his views, and genuinely listened to others. Instead, he chose to speak at a political rally in Bihar,"
CPI MP criticised the exclusion of several parties from the meeting, "JKNC, the ruling party in J&K, and the CPI--which has consistently fought against extremism from Punjab to Manipur--were excluded on the grounds of not having five MPs. Yet a party with a lone MP was invited, reportedly by the Home Minister himself. This shows the Union Government's fractured understanding of the situation and terrorism. "This flawed criterion defies logic," said P Sandosh Kumar.

The Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala added, "It appears that the Union Government views terrorism as a communal and Hindu-Muslim issue leading to selective invitations and exclusion of truly secular forces of unity, like the CPI. Further, should states in the Northeast with less than five MPs be excluded from deliberations on terrorism? National interest cannot be held hostage to arithmetic."
The CPI MP further raised concerns about the security and intelligence lapses surrounding the Pahalgam attack, "Reports suggest at least two of the terrorists infiltrated Indian territory days before the incident. "How did heavily armed infiltrators remain undetected? How were nearly a thousand tourists allowed at a vulnerable site barely 100 km from Srinagar when heightened security and combing operations were underway ahead of the Prime Minister's now postponed visit on 19 April?" asked P Sandosh Kumar.
The CPI MP also condemned attempts by sections of the media and right-wing forces to communalise the tragedy, leading to the killing of a young Muslim man in Agra."This is exactly what the terrorists want--to divide India. The Union government and state
governments must remain vigilant and act swiftly to prevent any communal provocations," he added.
He says that Party reaffirms its commitment to the fight against terrorism and urges the Union government to take inclusive, responsible and effective steps. "India must face this challenge and defeat terrorism unitedly--through consensus", he added. (ANI)