Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and accused him of "fooling people" in connection with the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He also questioned the Prime Minister's decision to skip an all-party meeting convened by the Centre following the incident, choosing instead to attend an election rally in Bihar.
Addressing the broader implications of the attack, the Chief Minister emphasised the need for stronger internal security. “There is no need for war. We are not in favor of it. Stringent security measures must be taken. That’s all. There should be peace in the country, and the Centre must act to protect people,” he stated.
Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah remarked, "The Prime Minister should have attended the all-party meeting. Instead, he went campaigning in Bihar. What does that say about his priorities? He is putting a ‘Topi’ on people, meaning he is fooling them."
When asked about the Union Government’s directive for states to send back Pakistani nationals, Siddaramaiah confirmed Karnataka’s cooperation. “We will comply and inform the Centre. Currently, we do not have exact figures on the number of Pakistani nationals in the state,” he said, adding that most are believed to be in major cities, particularly Bengaluru.
Reiterating his stance, Siddaramaiah said the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives—mostly tourists—was a result of a security lapse, and urged the Centre to take immediate and effective action to prevent such incidents in the future.