Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge stated on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi canceled his trip to Jammu and Kashmir last month due to an intelligence report received three days prior to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Speaking at a rally in Jharkhand, Kharge emphasized that the BJP-led Central government has acknowledged that the attack resulted from an intelligence failure.

“There is an intelligence failure; the government has accepted it, and they will resolve it. If they knew this, why didn’t they take action?” Kharge remarked. He cited media reports indicating that an intelligence warning was sent to PM Modi, prompting the cancellation of his Kashmir visit.

Kharge reiterated Congress’s support for any actions the government takes against Pakistan following the attack, stating, “The country is supreme.” He questioned why the Central government did not enhance security in Pahalgam if it had prior intelligence.

Reports indicate that the intelligence bureau alerted local security forces about the potential threat to tourists around the time of Modi’s planned visit on April 19. However, his visit was canceled due to bad weather, and the attack occurred in Pahalgam, approximately 90 kilometers from Srinagar.

As India intensifies diplomatic and economic measures against Pakistan, Islamabad has claimed that a military response from New Delhi is imminent. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that it is his duty to respond decisively to those who threaten India.

Kharge criticized the government, asking, “When intelligence agencies warned against the visit, why was this information not shared with police and security forces? There was a horrific attack, and the government admitted to an intelligence failure. Why wasn’t security arranged for tourists?”

His remarks come amid controversy within Congress regarding the Pahalgam attack. The party has urged its leaders to exercise discipline and stick to the Congress Working Committee’s official stance. Recently, Congress also deleted a social media post depicting a headless PM Modi with the caption “Gayab,” insinuating he was absent during a national crisis.

In response, BJP spokesperson Kesavan condemned Kharge’s statements, describing them as “treacherous” and demanding an unconditional apology, while calling for clarity on the intelligence inputs that led to such comments.