PM Abroad, House Silent on Pahalgam: Gaurav Gogoi Hits Out at Govt

In a sharp rebuke to the Narendra Modi-led government, Congress MP and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, on Monday lambasted the Centre for what he called its "calculated silence" on the Pahalgam terror attack during the ongoing Parliament session. The attack, which claimed the lives of several Indian soldiers in Jammu & Kashmir, has yet to be formally addressed by the Prime Minister in Parliament—a decision that has drawn strong condemnation from the opposition.

“This is the first session of Parliament since the Pahalgam attack, and the Prime Minister has not even found it necessary to address the nation or the House. Instead, he has chosen to skip the entire first week of proceedings due to his foreign visits,” Gogoi said, speaking to reporters in New Delhi.

He added that opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, had earlier written to the government requesting a special session dedicated to discussing the Pahalgam incident. “That request was outright rejected,” Gogoi said, “and even today, during the ongoing session, the Leader of the Opposition and other INDIA bloc MPs were denied the opportunity to speak on the matter.”

On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Gogoi further sharpened his attack: “Given the fact that the Indian Parliament is being convened for the first time since the Pahalgam attack, the Prime Minister should have given precedence to the nation and the Parliament. He should have addressed the nation on the Pahalgam attack on the first day. There should have been a discussion after his statement.”

Given the fact that the Indian Parliament is being convened for first time since the Pahalgam attack, the Prime Minister should have given precedence to the nation and the Parliament.

He should have addressed the nation on the Pahalgam attack on the first day. There should have… https://t.co/dyuYh9NnbT

— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) July 21, 2025

Taking aim at the BJP’s scheduling priorities, Gogoi questioned the logic behind planning foreign visits while Parliament is in session. “Why schedule foreign trips at a time when the country wants answers? Why this deliberate avoidance of accountability? What message does this send to our troops and to the families of those martyred?” he asked.

The Congress MP also pointed out that the agenda for Monday’s business advisory committee meeting made no mention of the Pahalgam attack. “It’s not just silence; it’s erasure. The attack wasn’t even listed in the day’s business. This is rubbing salt into the wounds of the grieving families,” he said.

The opposition INDIA bloc has consistently demanded a statement from the Prime Minister on the worsening security situation in Kashmir. Despite repeated requests, the government has neither initiated a debate nor issued a comprehensive response. The frustration among opposition ranks appears to be mounting.

As Parliament continues its monsoon session, the opposition has indicated it will continue to raise the issue inside and outside the House, pressing for a full discussion and an official statement by the Prime Minister.

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