Rahul cuts short US visit, to attend CWC meeting on Pahalgam attack today

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi headed home on Wednesday night, 23 April, cutting short his visit to the United States, to attend a meeting of the party's highest decision-making body CWC and discuss the Pahalgam terror attack.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet on Thursday to discuss the terror attack in which at least 26 people were killed.

In a post on X, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has cut short his US visit and will be attending in person the CWC meeting in New Delhi tomorrow (Thursday) at 10:30 am."

Rahul Gandhi arrived in Boston in the US on Saturday and interacted with business and community members.

Earlier, expressing sorrow over the dastardly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday called for "building the broad social consensus against terror that existed in the past".

The Congress parliamentary party chief stressed the need for a deep resolve to defeat these violent forces while asserting that the entire country stood united against terror.

"I am deeply saddened and devastated to learn of the dastardly terror attack on innocent tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam region. Resorting to violence is an act of cowardice and needs to be condemned in no uncertain terms," she said in a statement.

"I understand the pain of families who have lost their loved ones and extend my deepest condolences to them. I also pray for the complete and speedy recovery of those injured," Rahul Gandhi said.

Asserting that the entire country stands united against terror, she said, "We share a deep resolve to defeat these divisive and violent forces. We need to work to build the broad social consensus against terror that existed in the past."

It is imperative that the safety of our citizens is ensured and peace is restored in the region, Rahul Gandhi added.

In Bhopal, talking to reporters, MP Congress president Jitu Patwari said, "The central government should destroy anti-India forces that commit cowardly acts like terror attacks. The Congress party is with the country's army and government."

Senior Congress leader and MLA Arif Masood condemned the terror attack and said the entire country was saddened by it.

"We never thought that the country would have to see this day. Today, the whole country is making only one demand that the government should take action, the whole country is with it. Action should be taken," he said.

"After the Pulwama attack, we had raised questions about from where and how such a large quantity of RDX came. Had an impartial investigation been conducted at that time, then our 26 tourists would not have been killed," he said.

The terror attack in Pulwama was carried out by a suicide bomber on 14 February 2019, resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel.

Masood further said it was time for the Narendra Modi government to take action against terrorists.

Senior Congress leader Phool Singh Baraiya described the Pahalgam terror attack as heart-breaking, and said, "Had the Pulwama incident been investigated properly, then the Pahalgam terror attack would not have happened. The government should take strict action against these terrorists. We are with the government."

Meanwhile, the minority wing of the state Congress, led by Masood, burnt the effigy of terrorists in Bhopal.

Patwari said the Congress will pay tributes to the victims of the Pahalgam attack and take out a candle march.