The All-India Congress Committee (AICC) Minority Department’s National Coordinator Incharge of Manipur State and former State Chairman of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) Minority Department, Rajesh Kumar Sethi, has expressed deep anguish and outrage over the remarks made by Union Minister Piyush Goyal following the tragic incident that claimed the lives of 28 Indians.
Union Minister Goyal has on Saturday said that incidents like the recent terror attack in Pahalgam would continue to exist unless all 140 crore Indians adopt patriotism and nationalism as their “param dharma”.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, Sethi launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the leadership of attempting to shift the blame onto the victims instead of accepting responsibility for what he described as a “gross failure” in ensuring the safety and security of citizens.
“Minister Piyush Goyal’s statement suggesting that Indians lack patriotism is a direct insult to every citizen of this country,” Sethi said. “Every Indian — regardless of region, religion, caste, or creed — loves Bharat Mata with all their heart. Patriotism flows in the blood of every Indian. It is not the people who failed — it is the Narendra Modi and Amit Shah-led government that has failed miserably.”
Sethi alleged that under the current administration, intelligence inputs were ignored, security protocols were compromised, administrative lapses were rampant, and innocent lives were lost.
“Instead of showing humility, compassion, and responsibility, BJP leaders are resorting to blame games and diversion tactics,” he added.
The Congress leader demanded an official apology from Union Minister Piyush Goyal for his “anti-people and anti-national” remarks. He also called for immediate accountability from the Modi government for what he termed a massive security lapse, an independent judicial inquiry into the incident to fix responsibility at the highest levels, and the removal of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who, according to him, has repeatedly failed the nation in ensuring internal security.
“How many more Indians must die before the Modi government acknowledges its colossal failures?” Sethi questioned, stressing that the responsibility for the tragedy lies “squarely at the door of those who have prioritized propaganda over public safety.”
Expressing solidarity with the families of the victims, Sethi said, “We stand firmly with every patriotic Indian who has been insulted by this BJP government’s arrogance and negligence. Bharat belongs to every Indian. The BJP has no right to question the patriotism of the people they have failed to protect.”