Pulwama: Congress questions government over intelligence breach

New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) The Congress on Thursday attacked the Modi government and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval over the suicide bombing in Kashmir that killed 40 CRPF troopers and questioned the intelligence breach that led to the attack. "Is our Intelligence so weak under Ajit Doval that terrorists were able to carry 350kg of explosives through the most protected highway in the country?" Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said at a media briefing here. "How did the terrorists know the exact route of the CRPF jawans? Was there an intelligence breach? If so why has no action been taken against those responsible in the intelligence agencies," he asked. The Congress leader also questioned the government for ignoring the video released by the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group barely 48 hours ahead of the attack. The Congress pointed out that the CRPF's requests for movement of its men by air were also denied by the Home Ministry. "CRPF troopers were stuck in the region for a week due to bad weather. Airlifting them from the region would have saved their lives," he added. Surjewala accused Modi of shooting a film in Jim Corbett National Park while the suicide attack happened. "There is no better example than this of Modi's insult to our soldiers. At 3.10 p.m. when the Pulwama attack occurred and was all over news, the PM was shooting for a film till 6.45 p.m in Corbett National Park," he stated.
--IANS som/in/mr