'Adhere To Party Line On Pahalgam': Congress Cautions Its Leaders

The Congress on Tuesday warned its leaders of strict disciplinary action if they speak out of order and fail to adhere to the party line on the Pahalgam terror attack.

In a letter to all PCC chiefs, CLP leaders, party general secretaries and in-charges, MPs, MLAs/MLCs and heads of various departments and frontal organisations, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal asked them to exercise utmost discipline and consistency in public communication and not speak out of place on the Pahalgam incident.

The letter comes after the comments made by some party leaders stirred a controversy and allowed the BJP to attack the Congress, accusing it of speaking on behalf of terrorists.

Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed and several were injured when terrorists opened fire at a meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22.

Mr Venugopal, in the letter, said the Congress party is deeply anguished by the reprehensible terrorist attack in Pahalgam and stands in unwavering solidarity with the nation during this hour of grief.

"At this critical juncture, when our collective resolve is being tested, 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," Mr Venugopal said.

He said the Congress Working Committee (CWC), chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, adopted a unanimous resolution on April 24, setting forth the party's clear and considered stand on the Pahalgam attack.

This resolution must serve as the sole basis for all public expressions of the party's stance on the matter, he noted.

"It is, therefore, hereby directed that all comments, statements, and representations- whether by party leaders, spokespersons, media panellists, or official handles of the Congress Social Media Department- must strictly adhere to the CWC resolution.

"Any deviation, misrepresentation, or off-the-cuff remark that diverges from the official line shall be deemed a serious breach of party discipline," Mr Venugopal said.

Accordingly, he said, all functionaries are instructed to exercise utmost discipline and consistency in public communication.

Those authorised to speak on behalf of the party must confine themselves to the CWC's stated position in the resolution, he said.

"Any contravention of this directive will invite strict disciplinary action without exception," Mr Venugopal asserted.

Let us remain mindful of the values and traditions of the Congress party and rise to the occasion with the dignity and restraint that the nation rightfully expects of us, he said.

Mr Venugopal said every Indian is looking for justice for the families of innocent fellow citizens who lost their lives.

"Every Indian seeks answers on accountability from the government. The Congress party has always shouldered its responsibilities with a profound sense of national duty. Our history bears testimony to the fact that we have consistently placed national interest above all else, especially during moments of national crisis," he said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, senior Maharashtra leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Karnataka minister RB Timmapur and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra have triggered a row with some of them questioning the need for a war with Pakistan and the Pahalgam attack victims' account that the terrorists had marked out non-Muslims.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)