Pahalgam terror attack: Sharad Pawar backs Congress demand for special Parliament session

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday backed the Congress' demand for a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and said this would send out the message that the country is united.

Addressing a press conference after attending the consecration ceremony at a ‘Tulja Bhavani’ temple in Thane, Pawar called the massacre of tourists in Kashmir an attack on the country and said he will support the Centre in whatever steps it takes in this matter.

“Some of our colleagues have made the demand (for a special session of Parliament). The entire country is united on this issue. All parties and Parliament are united. A special session (on Pahalgam) would be useful to send this message to the world,” Pawar said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and demonstrate a collective resolve.

“We will give complete support to whatever steps Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues take,” said the former defence minister, adding that religion, caste, and language should not be brought into such matters.

Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed and several were injured when terrorists opened fire at a meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22.

During his interaction with the media, he also responded to a question about the possibility of a reconciliation between Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray, who heads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

“If it happens, it’s for the good. When two families come together, it is always a positive development,” he said.

When asked if he only attends select religious functions, Pawar called it a “half-truth”.

“When I was the chief minister of Maharashtra, I had performed ‘pooja’ at the Pandharpur temple multiple times and also visited the Tulja Bhavani temple in Tuljapur several times,” he added.