TMC's Abhishek Banerjee
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: With Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha admitting intelligence lapses leading to Pahalgam attack, top Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has asked why Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka has been given an extension and what was the compulsion for doing so.
Sources said he raised the issue during a meeting of leaders of 24 I.N.D.I.A parties on Saturday evening to finetune strategy for upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. Besides the Pahalgam attack, Banerjee also spoke about foreign policy and Special Intensive Revision of Bihar electoral rolls.
The Trinamool Congress General Secretary and senior MP also alleged in the meeting that the Modi government was using Pegasus to harass the Opposition instead of using it to tackle terrorism and nab terrorists.
He told the Opposition leaders that the LG has admitted to intelligence failure and the government needs to explain why an extension was given to Deka in such a scenario. What was the compulsion? sources quoted him as saying.
Deka was given an extension of one year in service from June 30. The government had made the announcement in May, a month after the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
On foreign policy, he said the country has witnessed a "big decline" in the past 11 years and it is in "bad shape". He asked why no ASEAN countries condemn Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror strike.
"Such is the sad state of affairs that people of India had to look to Donald Trump’s social media handles and accounts to get updates because they were kept in dark by this govt at Centre," he said.
"After Pahalgam, MPs' delegations were sent to various countries. What good did it do? How many countries came in our support? Instead of briefing its own people, MPs were sent to brief people and relevant stakeholders of other countries. The Modi government has kept the people of India in the dark," he said in the meeting.
Banerjee was part of one of the seven multi-party delegations sent to various countries in May-June to drum up support for India and campaign against Pakistan for being a sponsor of cross-border terrorism.