‘Pahalgam Terrorists Shot in Heads’: Amit Shah

• Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack were killed in “Operation Mahadev.”
• Shah slammed the Congress for prioritizing “vote bank politics” and accused P. Chidambaram of questioning national security for political gain.
• He defended the naming of “Operation Mahadev,” linking it to historical war slogans, and detailed the forces’ efforts to track down the terrorists.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 30th July: Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday fiercely defended the government’s counter-terrorism operations in Rajya Sabha, announcing that the three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack were “shot in their heads” during “Operation Mahadev.” Shah launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of prioritizing “vote bank politics” over national security.

Responding to the debate on “Operation Sindoor,” Shah confirmed that investigations conclusively established Lashkar-e-Taiba’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack, as all three neutralized terrorists belonged to the outfit. He highlighted the barbarity of the crime, where victims were asked their religion before being killed in front of women and children.

Earlier, as Shah began his address, opposition parties protested, demanding the Prime Minister’s presence, and subsequently staged a walkout when their demand was not met. Continuing his speech, Shah directly addressed Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who had demanded his resignation and proof of the terrorists’ Pakistani origin, while also questioning the justification of “Operation Sindoor.”

“Priority of Congress is not national security, but politics; it indulges in politics of vote bank, appeasement,” the Home Minister asserted. He stated that Chidambaram’s questions exposed the Congress’s “mentality” to the world, suggesting they would support Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and terrorists for “vote bank” gains.

Shah also taunted Congress leader Prithviraj Chauhan for questioning the name “Operation Mahadev,” reminding him that “Har Har Mahadev” was Shivaji Maharaj’s war slogan against the Mughals. He clarified that various Indian army slogans are based on religions without communal intent.

Dispelling doubts about the timing of the killings, Shah detailed how CRPF, Army, and J&K police tracked and eliminated the terrorists in difficult terrain, even relying on food supplied via drones during their pursuit.