Congress orders strict adherence to party line on Pahalgam terror attack

New Delhi: In a firm internal directive issued on Tuesday, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) warned all party functionaries to strictly adhere to the Congress Working Committee’s (CWC) official stand on the Pahalgam terror attack.

The letter, signed by AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, comes amid heightened political scrutiny following the April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, were killed by Pakistan-linked Islamic terrorists. 

Wary of dissenting statements that are construed as deviation from the party line, the Congress leadership aims to project cohesion and clarity.

Chaired by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, the CWC had passed a unanimous resolution on April 24 condemning the attack and expressing solidarity with the nation. Venugopal’s letter states unequivocally that this resolution is “the sole basis for all public positions of the party’s stance” and warns of “strict disciplinary action without exception” for any contravention.

“In this hour of grief,” Venugopal wrote, “the Indian National Congress must exemplify unity, maturity, and responsibility—virtues that have defined our conduct through decades of national service, in government and in opposition alike.”

The letter emphasises that only authorised party leaders, spokespersons, and social media handlers are to speak on the issue, and even then, strictly in line with the CWC resolution. 

The party has invoked the “lessons of history” to reinforce its self-image as a responsible opposition that puts “national interest above all else during moments of national crisis.”

While the letter does not name any individual, it is being seen as a pre-emptive measure following scattered remarks by some Congress leaders in recent days that may have strayed from the official party position. 

With political temperatures running high and general elections approaching, the Congress leadership appears determined to avoid any perception of internal discord or soft-pedalling on national security.

Party insiders told NewsDrum.in that the message was also a signal to younger leaders and regional satraps to refrain from airing personal views on sensitive national issues. 

“This is not the time for individual grandstanding. The party must speak with one voice,” said a senior Congress leader familiar with the decision.

The letter also appealed to the party’s foundational ethos. “Let us remain mindful of the values and traditions of the Congress Party and rise to the occasion with the dignity that the nation rightly expects of us,” Venugopal wrote.

The move comes at a time when the BJP has sharpened its attack on the opposition over “softness” towards terrorism and Pakistan, linking the national security debate to the larger electoral narrative. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving the armed forces a “free hand” and diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan at a new low, the political climate is charged.