New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is set to present its charge sheet in the Special NIA Court in Jammu, leaders from various political parties, including the BJP, JD(U), Congress, and the Samajwadi Party, on Monday demanded severe punishment for those responsible, stating that the Pahalgam incident had shaken the entire country.

Speaking to IANS, BJP leader Dilip Jaiswal said the filing of the charge sheet was an important step towards justice.

“The NIA is going to file the charge sheet today. The incident that occurred shook the entire country. The guilty must be identified and punished strictly,” he said.

BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj also reacted, asserting that India had given a fitting response to the attack.

“The attack in Pahalgam was answered firmly. India is no longer weak and will not bow before anyone. Today, India stands ready to assert itself on the global stage. Even in its dealings with powerful countries like the United States, India has stood firm. Today’s India does not bend; it makes others bend,” he told IANS.

JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary said the legal process must be allowed to take its course.

“The incident in Pahalgam will definitely be dealt with seriously. Once the charge sheet is filed, action will be taken against those involved in accordance with the law,” he stated.

Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat termed the incident tragic and stressed the need for accountability beyond filing a charge sheet.

“This was undoubtedly a very tragic incident. It is not only about filing charge sheets, but also about examining the lapses that occurred despite a three-tier security setup. Along with legal action, steps must be taken to ensure such incidents do not recur in the future,” he said.

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Kumar Rai raised questions over security preparedness.

“Because of their actions, the country’s security was compromised. Where was the NIA when those areas were attacked? No one reached the spot for hours. Later, it was claimed that authorities were not even aware that tourism had resumed there, while terrorists were freely moving around,” he added.

On April 22, the scenic Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, witnessed one of the deadliest terrorist attacks targeting tourists in the region. The attackers questioned people about their religion before opening fire and forced some to recite the Kalma. The indiscriminate assault claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a pony rider, sending shockwaves across the nation.

–IANS

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