India Bloc to Intensify Counter-Terrorism Efforts After June 4: Ramesh

Congress condemns Poonch terror attack, cites alarming terrorism trend in the area. The party vows to strengthen counter-terrorism measures after the Lok Sabha elections, focusing on empowering political class and civil society in the region. Congress also criticizes the BJP's claims of improved security in Jammu & Kashmir, highlighting the recent attack as evidence of ongoing threats.

The Congress on Sunday said the attack in Poonch is part of a worrying trend of terror attacks in the area and asserted that after Lok Sabha election results, the party and its INDIA bloc partners will leave no stone unturned in strengthening the counter-terrorism grid in Jammu and Kashmir.

Five IAF personnel were injured in the attack on Saturday evening near Shahsitar in the district's Surankote area and one of them succumbed to injuries at a military hospital.

According to officials, a well-coordinated joint operation by the Army and police is underway in many areas, including Shahsitar, Gursai, Sanai and Sheendara Top, to neutralise the terrorists.

''We strongly and unequivocally condemn this dastardly terror attack and join the nation in unitedly standing together against terrorism,'' Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.

He claimed that while there were ''no major incidents of terrorism in this area between 2007 and 2014'', the Surankote terrorist attack is part of a worrying trend of terror attacks, particularly against security personnel, in the hilly Rajouri-Poonch areas situated near the Line of Control (LoC).

''It is a matter of grave concern that since January 1st 2023, 25 of our brave security personnel and eight innocent civilians have lost their lives in the Rajouri-Poonch area. In contrast, there were no major incidents of terrorism in this area between 2007 and 2014,'' he said.

After June 4, the Congress and its INDIA bloc partners will leave no stone unturned in strengthening the counter-terrorism grid by fully supporting the country's brave soldiers, Ramesh asserted.

''Our approach will also be to consistently empower the political class and civil society, transcending religious and ethnic ties, which will support the efforts of our valiant forces to mount a collective societal deterrence against terrorists in Rajouri-Poonch, an area which is vast and hilly,'' he said.

This will make them equal partners in efforts towards peace and security in this sensitive and strategic region, he added.

Later, in another post on X, Ramesh said, ''the Sva-ghoshit (self-proclaimed) Chanakya shamelessly says that 'nobody dares to even pelt stones anymore' in Jammu & Kashmir. This is only one day after a terror attack killed and injured soldiers in Surankote.'' ''The BJP's only strategy in this election is to repeat lies, in the hope that people will accept them. A reckoning awaits them on the 4th of June!'' he said.

In a post on X on Saturday night, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said the Congress strongly and unequivocally condemns this ''dastardly terror attack'' and joins the nation in standing together against terrorism.

''Our deepest condolences to the family of the brave air warrior who made the supreme sacrifice. We hope that the injured air warriors recover at the earliest and earnestly pray for their well-being. India is united for our soldiers,'' Kharge said.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had said that the cowardly terrorist attack on the convoy of security personnel in Poonch was ''very shameful and sad''.

''I pay my humble tribute to the martyred soldier and express my condolences to his bereaved family. I hope for the speedy recovery of the soldiers injured in the attack,'' he had said on X.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)