In the wake of the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, returned to New Delhi early Thursday after cutting short his official visit to the United States. He is expected to attend the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting scheduled for 10:30 AM today.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh confirmed Gandhi’s return on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi has cut short his US visit and will be attending in person the CWC meeting in New Delhi tomorrow at 10:30 AM.”
The decision to return underscores the gravity of the situation following Tuesday’s brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, which left at least 26 people dead, including one Nepali national. The incident is being described as one of the deadliest attacks in the Valley since the Pulwama attack in 2019.
In response to the attack, the Union government is expected to convene an all-party meeting on April 24, to be chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The meeting will review the security situation and discuss India’s response.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also curtailed their respective visits abroad — to Saudi Arabia and the US — in the aftermath of the attack.
India has taken a stern stance against Pakistan, holding it responsible for supporting cross-border terrorism. On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced a set of strong retaliatory measures following a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi. These include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and closing the integrated checkpost at Attari. Additionally, Pakistani nationals will no longer be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC visa exemption scheme.
The CCS condemned the Pahalgam attack “in the strongest terms” and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. The meeting also brought out the cross-border linkages of the attack, indicating the involvement of Pakistan-based terror outfits.
Among those killed in the attack was Indian Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, whose last rites were performed in his hometown of Karnal. In Shivamogga, Karnataka, the family of victim Manjunath Rao demanded stringent action against the perpetrators.
The attack occurred at the Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination, and has sent shockwaves across the country, reviving concerns about the security situation in the Valley post the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Sources By Agencies