Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], May 6 (ANI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday questioned the Central government's handling of the April 22 Pahalgam attack, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi received an intelligence report three days before the attack.

Addressing a 'Samvidhan Bachao' rally in Jharkhand, Kharge questioned why no preventive measures were taken despite reported advance warnings. He criticised the Prime Minister for allegedly cancelling his Kashmir visit based on the same intelligence while failing to protect civilians.

'A major terrorist attack took place in the country on April 22, in which 26 people were killed. There was an intelligence failure; the government has acknowledged it and said they will resolve it. But if they were aware of it, then why wasn't anything done?' Kharge said.

'I have received information that three days before the attack, an intelligence report was sent to Prime Minister Modi, and based on that, he cancelled his program to visit Kashmir. I also read this in a newspaper. If intelligence could warn that it wasn't safe for you (the PM) to go there, why didn't you take proper steps to protect the tourists and civilians?' the Congress President said.

Kharge further said that they are standing with the government in whatever decision it takes against Pakistan.

'We have already stated that whatever strong decisions the government takes against Pakistan in the fight against terrorism, we will stand with the government. Because this is a matter of national security. The country comes first; everything else is secondary. We have made sacrifices for this nation,' Kharge said.

The Congress President also stressed that he comes from a party in which a former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, gave her life.

'Indira Gandhi gave her life. Mahatma Gandhi gave his life after independence, a traitor shot him dead. We come from there. Sonia Gandhi gave everything for the country. She refused the Prime Ministerial post twice, and these people want to be in power after taking a hundred lives,' Mallikarjun Kharge said.

Further, speaking on the caste-census, Kharge said that the BJP has done what Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was demanding for a long time.

'Rahul Gandhi has decided that the census of OBC should be done. First, the BJP people blamed Rahul Gandhi for dividing the country on caste politics. Now I am asking that you repeat the same things that Rahul Gandhi was demanding,' Kharge said.

Tension escalated between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 people were killed.

Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met on April 23 and was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

The government has announced a series of measures, including putting the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, to send a strong message to Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism. (ANI)