Questions Raised Over Pahalgam Attack Allegations and Modi Government’s Political Motives

NEW DELHI: Fresh questions are being raised in India over the political motives surrounding the Pahalgam attack, with Indian journalist Ajay Shukla highlighting allegations and statements by critics who have questioned the Modi government’s handling of the incident and the subsequent campaign against Pakistan.

Shukla has pointed to claims by several Indian political figures and commentators who have raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the attack and the narrative that emerged immediately afterward.

According to Ajay Shukla, several Indian leaders and critics have previously questioned what they described as the possible role of the Indian government in the events surrounding the Pahalgam attack.

He said critics had alleged that the incident was subsequently used to strengthen a political narrative against Pakistan.

Shukla also referred to claims that the Modi government had political and economic interests connected to developments in the region. These allegations have not been independently established.

Shukla cited statements by Indian political figures, including former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela, who has previously criticised the Modi government and raised allegations concerning politically motivated violence.

He also referred to comments from critics in occupied Jammu and Kashmir who described the Pahalgam incident as part of a broader conspiracy and questioned the official narrative surrounding the attack.

Indian security affairs commentator Dr Ajai Sahni has also previously described the Pahalgam incident as a carefully planned operation, according to the statements cited by Shukla.

Former governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satyapal Malik had also sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the aftermath of the attack.

Malik called for political accountability and said Modi should apologise to the Indian people and step down from office.

Former Indian lawmaker Vijay Tiwari has likewise raised questions about the government’s responsibility and handling of the incident.

Indian singer and social commentator Neha Singh Rathore also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, questioning why major terrorist attacks repeatedly occur during BJP rule.

She also criticised the immediate accusations against Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack and questioned whether the government was using the incident to divert public attention from domestic problems.

The allegations cited by Shukla represent the views of Indian political figures, journalists and government critics and have not been independently established as fact.

The Indian government has rejected suggestions that it orchestrated or manipulated the Pahalgam attack and has maintained its own account of the incident.

Nevertheless, the continuing criticism from within India has kept questions alive over the political use of security incidents and the rapid escalation of tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack.

The controversy has also fuelled a wider political debate over whether security incidents are being used to strengthen majoritarian politics, divert attention from domestic challenges and consolidate public support for the ruling BJP.

Critics argue that immediately shifting the political discussion toward Pakistan can overshadow questions about internal security failures and accountability.