New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) Congress is gearing up to put the Modi government on the defensive in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, with a sharp focus on the ‘unresolved’ Pahalgam terror attack, US President Donald Trump’s claims of ‘mediating an India-Pakistan ceasefire’, and alleged electoral manipulations in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Bihar.

The strategy was finalised at a high-level Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting chaired by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and senior party leaders.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Deputy Leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari said the party is determined to hold the government accountable on a series of national concerns.

“Over three months have passed since the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The government has failed to track down the perpetrators. Where are the terrorists? How have they vanished without a trace?” Tiwari asked, accusing the Centre of security lapses and administrative negligence.

He also pointed to US President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions that he played a role in mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during heightened tensions, at a time when India had the upper hand.

“The Government of India has neither confirmed nor denied these claims. Silence in such matters only raises suspicion,” Tiwari remarked, adding that the Congress will demand answers in Parliament.

Another key issue the Congress plans to raise is the alleged manipulation of the electoral process in Maharashtra, Haryana, and most recently, Bihar. The party believes these developments raise serious questions about the integrity of elections and institutions.

In addition to national security and democratic accountability, the Congress will focus on “rising crimes” against women and Scheduled Castes, especially in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. It will also push for the long-pending restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which remains unresolved despite multiple promises from the Centre.

Tiwari also signalled that the Congress would question ‘the role and conduct’ of the Election Commission, particularly in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections.

To present a united opposition front, Tiwari confirmed that a meeting of the INDIA bloc partners will be held ahead of the Monsoon Session to align floor strategies and coordinate issue-based interventions in both Houses of Parliament.

–IANS

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