“Time to Teach Pakistan a Lesson”: CWC Urges Firm Response to Pahalgam Terror Attack

CWC passes resolution demanding decisive action, long-term support for victims’ families, and accountability for security lapses, while reaffirming support for a caste-based national census.

New Delhi, May 2:
In a strong statement of solidarity and national resolve, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday called on the central government to act decisively and strategically in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack. The resolution, passed under the leadership of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, urged the government to “teach Pakistan a lesson” through firm diplomacy, military preparedness, and global coordination.

Opening the meeting, Kharge paid tribute to the 26 victims of the April 22 attack and criticized the government’s delay in acting. “Even after ten days, no concrete action has been taken. The pain of these families is the pain of the entire nation,” he said, adding that this is a time for unity, not politics.

The CWC resolution emphasized the need for national unity in the face of terror. “We must rise above partisan divides and send out an unambiguous message that India stands together and will not be broken,” the resolution read. It demanded that the perpetrators face “the full consequences” of their actions and called for India to intensify efforts to diplomatically isolate Islamabad.

The party also called for sustained, long-term support to the victims’ families, going beyond compensation to include mental health care, rehabilitation, and national recognition of the victims.

At the same time, the CWC reiterated its earlier demand for an investigation into security and intelligence failures in one of India’s most heavily guarded regions. “The people deserve answers and accountability,” the resolution stated.

Senior Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, Bhupesh Baghel, Sachin Pilot, Charanjit Singh Channi, and Saptagiri Ulaka, addressed the media following the meeting. Jairam Ramesh cited the 1994 unanimous Parliament resolution calling for the liberation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and demanded an immediate session of Parliament to debate the recent attack.

Pilot reminded the nation of the Congress’s non-partisan stance during the 2001 Parliament attack. “This is not just an attack on tourists—this is an attack on India. The Prime Minister must respond not with words but action,” he said.

Meanwhile, the CWC also passed a separate resolution welcoming the central government’s decision to conduct a caste-based census—something the Congress has been advocating for over a decade. The party called for immediate allocation of funds, a clear timeline, and an inclusive methodology for implementation.

“The BJP has finally conceded what it opposed for 11 years,” the resolution noted, adding that the Telangana model of inclusive data collection should serve as the national benchmark. It emphasized that Parliament must debate the census issue urgently and that all political parties be taken into confidence.

With the terror attack reigniting concerns over cross-border threats and the caste census debate gathering steam, Friday’s CWC meeting marked a significant dual-front political message—one focused on national security and the other on social equity.