As the nation remembers martyrs on the first anniversary of the dastardly attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama on February 14, 2019, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP government, saying the nation needed to ask some "straight questions" over who in the BJP was responsible for the security lapses.
Remembering the 40 CRPF jawans who were killed in the Pulwama attack, Rahul said alleged somebody in the BJP government could have possibly benefitted from the attack.
Today as we remember our 40 CRPF martyrs in the #PulwamaAttack , let us ask:
1. Who benefitted the most from the attack?
2. What is the outcome of the inquiry into the attack?
3. Who in the BJP Govt has yet been held accountable for the security lapses that allowed the attack? pic.twitter.com/KZLbdOkLK5
- Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 14, 2020
Other political leaders also paid homage to the martyrs. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot commemorated the Pulwama attack.
I salute the valour of our brave jawans, who were martyred in #Pulwama in a horrific terror attack one year back. We shall remain indebted to their sacrifice forever. #PulwamaAttack
- Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) February 14, 2020
INC spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill also took to his Twitter, saying the BJP had been shedding "fake tears" since the Pulwama attack happened.
BJP sheds crocodile tears for our brave soldiers-1yr since #PulwamaAttack wife of Jawan Kaushal Kumar Rawat is yet to receive promised help from Govt,she says no one listens,mantris came for funeral but now no one helps! Is this how #BJP honors sacrifice? https://t.co/CqBfDCnptB
- Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) February 14, 2020
Former CPI (M) MP from Calcutta and CPI (M) Politburo member Mohammad Salim said a memorial wasn't needed for reminding "us of our incompetence".
We dont need a memorial to remind us of our incompetence. The only thing we need to know is how 80kg of RDX got past the international borders to the 'most militarised zone on earth' & exploded in #Pulwama.
Justice for #PulwamaAttack needs to be done. https://t.co/s2lcDNEkBU
- Md Salim (@salimdotcomrade) February 14, 2020
Union Minister for Defense Rajnath Singh said India would never forget the sacrifice of our martyrs. He said India as a nation was committed to continue the fight against terrorism.
Remembering the fallen @crpfindia personnel who were martyred during the dastardly attack in Pulwama(J&K) on this day in 2019.
India will never forget their sacrifice. Entire nation stands united against terrorism and we are committed to continue our fight against this menace.
- Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 14, 2020
On February 14, 2019, 40 CRPF jawans were killed after a suicide bomber attacked their convoy on the Srinagar-Jammu highway located in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. The attack was the worst and the most gruesome-ever terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir since the spiral of violence and extremism in 1989. The terrorist who took the responsibility for this attack belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammad. The Pakistan-based terror outfit also made and shared a video clip of the suicide bomber. The terror outfit headed by Maulana Masood Azhar also carried out the Parliament attack in 2001 and also the attack on army camps in Uri in 2016.