AMIT SHAH MUST RESIGN OVER PAHALGAM ATTACK SECURITY LAPSES; END COMMUNAL POLARISATION ORCHESTRATED BY RIGHT-WING FOR POLITICAL GAINS

New Delhi, 25th April 2025: The Social Democratic Party of India vehemently condemns the Union government’s gross security failures exposed by the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 innocent lives. We demand the immediate resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah for his failure to ensure security in Jammu and Kashmir, a Union Territory under his direct control. The unauthorized opening of Baisaran meadows without police clearance, the absence of security forces despite 500 personnel in Pahalgam, and the intelligence agencies’ failure to act on prior warnings enabled this preventable tragedy. The government’s admission of these lapses during the all-party meeting on April 24, 2025, is inadequate without accountability. The 45-minute delay in reaching the attack site reflects systemic negligence. We call for an independent probe to hold those responsible accountable and urgent reforms to restore public safety. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the all-party meeting, as he prioritized a pre-scheduled election rally in Bihar’s Madhubani ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, exposes the BJP’s cynical political motives, prioritizing electoral gains over national unity and revealing their exploitative agenda.

The subsequent wave of right-wing violence against Kashmiri students and Muslims, including the brutal murder of a Muslim in Agra by Hindu extremists claiming retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, is a shameful assault on India’s secular fabric. This heinous act, alongside assaults across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, constitutes a coordinated hate campaign. In Uttarakhand, Hindu Raksha Dal’s ultimatums forced students to flee; in Himachal Pradesh, mobs attacked students at Arni University; in Punjab, Kashmiri students faced midnight hostel assaults; and in Uttar Pradesh, students were evicted under communal pressure. Mainstream media houses have fueled this violence by framing the attack with religious undertones, using sensationalist headlines and airing debates implying Kashmiri Muslim complicity without evidence. Such irresponsible reporting, alongside inflammatory rhetoric from and unchecked hate speech on social media, has emboldened right-wing groups. The government’s silence and failure to arrest perpetrators signal tacit complicity, deepening the alienation of Kashmiris and Muslims and advancing the terrorists’ agenda of division.

The SDPI’s nationwide candlelight marches protesting the attack reflect our unwavering commitment to peace and justice. We stand in solidarity with all citizens of India and Muslim bodies, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which canceled public programs like the Waqf Protection Campaign for three days to mourn the Pahalgam victims, and other political parties uniting against communalism. We urge the governments to deploy immediate protection for Kashmiri students and Muslim communities, prosecute those inciting violence, and regulate hate speech. Media outlets must be held accountable for spreading divisive narratives, and we demand ethical reporting standards to prevent further polarization. We call for a united front against communalism, demanding accountability, justice, and systemic reforms to restore India’s secular and inclusive ethos.

Adv. Sharfuddin Ahmad

National Vice President

Social Democratic Party of India,