Opposition Leader Kharge Challenges Modi Government on Pahalgam Attack, Trump Ceasefire Claims

Opposition Leader Kharge Challenges Modi Government on Pahalgam Attack, Trump Ceasefire Claims

RMN News Report Highlights:

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | July 21, 2025

New Delhi, India – July 21, 2025 – Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, today (July 21) launched a searing attack on the Central government, demanding accountability for the unaddressed Pahalgam terror attack and exposing alleged inconsistencies in India’s foreign policy and domestic governance. Kharge’s pointed remarks in Parliament underscore significant concerns about the government’s handling of national security, international relations, and internal democratic processes.

Unanswered Questions on Pahalgam Terrorists and “Operation Sindoor”

Kharge, addressing the Upper House, highlighted that the terrorists responsible for the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian civilians, have neither been caught nor neutralized. He moved a notice under Rule 267 to press the government for information on the incident and “Operation Sindoor.”

“I have given notice under Rule 267 on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Till today, the terrorists have not been caught or neutralised. All parties extended unconditional support to the government. The government should inform us about what has happened,” Kharge stated in the Rajya Sabha.

[ Video in Hindi: खड़गे ने संसद में मोदी से पूछा: पहलगाम आतंकी हमला किसने किया? ]

Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s immediate reaction of blaming Pakistan for the attack and launching military strikes under “Operation Sindoor,” critics contend that this alleged stage-managed show was designed to escalate rhetoric against Pakistan to woo Hindu voters (nearly 80%) in India.

Ironically, while Modi has focused on “Operation Sindoor,” there has been a surprising lack of accountability from the Indian public and opposition parties regarding the Indian Army’s failure to prevent the Pahalgam attack, given the extensive security presence in the region. Concerns have also been raised that the Army’s collusion in such attacks cannot be ruled out, as continued violence in Kashmir ensures sustained financial support and impunity to Indian Army under the colonial-era Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

International Community’s Lack of Endorsement for Modi’s Terror Claims

Kharge also cornered the Central government over US President Donald Trump’s claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, implying a significant diplomatic oversight by New Delhi. Moreover, Kharge implicitly referenced a broader international skepticism regarding India’s narrative.

Modi’s threatening statements against Pakistan come amidst a broader narrative from him that continually blames Pakistan for terrorism, despite a lack of supporting evidence. Notably, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Financial Action Task Force (FATF), World Bank, UNSC, US Administration, and European nations have not endorsed Modi’s terror claims against Pakistan.

Furthermore, reports indicate that delegations of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and allied politicians, dispatched by Modi for a public relations exercise to garner support for his allegations, have largely failed to secure meetings with real foreign government officials. Critics have derisively labeled these trips as mere “summer excursions” at taxpayer expense.

Parliament’s Declining Relevance and Allegations of Electoral Misconduct

Kharge lamented that Prime Minister Modi, who he asserts has “scant respect for Parliament,” never responds to crucial issues raised by the opposition. Observers cite numerous instances where Modi ignored Parliament questions on Manipur violence, the Modi-Adani collusion case, the Rafale corruption case, and the Pegasus spyware issue.

Under the Modi regime, Parliament is perceived by some to have “completely lost its relevance.” Critics suggest that Modi leverages the “very weak” opposition and a judiciary “completely under his control” to “get away with all his felonies.” It is also argued that the highly incompetent ministers and MPs surrounding Modi do not dare to question his “hostile actions.”

A deeper analysis suggests that Modi’s overt animosity towards Muslims and terror allegations against Pakistan may serve as a smokescreen. While this narrative is perceived by some voters and opposition parties as a key to his electoral success through the wooing of majority Hindu voters, critics argue that Modi’s victories in most State and Lok Sabha elections are primarily a result of “rampant election frauds” in collusion with the Election Commission of India (ECI). These alleged malpractices include electronic voting machine (EVM) manipulation, tampering with electoral rolls, voter intimidation, and bribery.

This perception of Modi winning elections through religious polarization is deemed a convenient distraction, under which he allegedly continues to perpetrate electoral malpractices. A significant portion of India’s electorate, nearly 80% of its 1 billion voters, are described as “poor and illiterate” and thus unaffected by Modi’s anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Only a “handful – a few million – Indians who use Twitter or other social media platforms” are believed to operate under the “false perception” that Modi’s anti-Muslim stance leads to his electoral victories, while in reality, it is alleged electoral fraud that secures wins for him and the BJP.

The main opposition party, Congress, despite frequently raising concerns about alleged electoral fraud by the BJP after defeats, is largely seen as ineffective. Described as an “almost extinct party” lacking “real leadership,” its “feeble voice” has little impact on Modi’s methods of securing electoral wins. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is often characterized as “perhaps the weakest opposition leader that India has seen,” and there is a perceived absence of any other opposition party capable of challenging Modi’s alleged wrongdoings.

Judiciary’s Complicity and International Concerns over Modi’s Past

Furthermore, India’s judiciary and bureaucracy are depicted as “corrupt and complicit,” unwilling to question Modi’s actions. Judges and bureaucrats are also reportedly “scared to take action” against Modi or his colleagues, purportedly due to Modi’s “alleged criminal past,” including the 2002 Gujarat pogrom and the “mysterious” death of Judge Brijgopal Harikishan Loya.

Modi has indicated that his “belligerent Operation Sindoor” is only “on a pause,” suggesting future attacks on Pakistan after any uninvestigated terror activity in India, which he would then blame on Pakistan without evidence, thus using the military for electoral pretexts. His aggression, however, is notably absent when it comes to China, which has “illegally occupied approximately 38,000 square kilometers of Indian territory in Ladakh,” an issue Modi “sheepishly ignores.”

Grave concerns have been raised regarding the possibility of the Modi regime orchestrating terror attacks within India for political advantage. These concerns are amplified by allegations that the Modi government released “fake sketches” of alleged terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack.

Calls for Independent, UN-Supervised Investigations

There is a growing demand for independent, UN-supervised investigations into a series of incidents to ascertain the truth behind these allegations. These incidents include:

• The Pahalgam attack (April 2025)
• The Pulwama attack (2019)
• The Mumbai attacks (2008)
• The Godhra train burning (2002)
• The Gujarat pogrom (2002)
• The 2020 violence in Delhi targeting Muslims
• The murder case of Gujarat politician Haren Pandya
• The mysterious death of Judge Loya
• Other similar incidents.

Modi’s alleged involvement in such criminal activities has been previously explored in the 2023 BBC documentary, “India: The Modi Question.” Given that Modi’s visa was revoked in the past due to his alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat mass murders, there are calls for world leaders to reinstate bans on his entry into their countries.

Furthermore, the Modi regime now faces accusations of transnational repression, with Canada and the United States explicitly blaming India for criminal activities committed in their respective countries.

Due to the perceived impossibility of a fair and transparent investigation and prosecution within India under Modi’s premiership, there is a strong proposal for an international court, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) or the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to handle his case.

Some even suggest a judicial forum similar to the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, which prosecuted Nazi war criminals for crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. An independent probe is deemed essential to either substantiate India’s claims against Pakistan or to uncover any internal orchestration by the Modi-led government, as some suspect.

Today, nearly 1.4 billion Indians are said to be suffering under the Modi regime, grappling with “unprecedented poverty, corruption, inflation, unemployment, lawlessness, and religious animosity.” Yet, there appears to be no opposition party with the courage or capacity to defeat Modi and the BJP.