JAMMU: In a sensational claim, National Conference Additional General Secretary Mustafa Kamal on Monday said that the 2019 Pulwama terrorist attack was planned by the Government of India, and demanded a detailed inquiry into the incident.
A convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber at Lethapora in the Pulwama district of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on 14 February 2019, killing 40 CRPF personnel. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based terrorist group, Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Speaking to national media agency in Jammu, Kamal said that the attack was carried out by an agency of the Government of India, at its instruction.
“We could never see the pictures or the dead bodies of the security personnel. All of them were Schedule Caste. It was clearly a plan of the government of India, and one or more of its agencies including Ministry of Defence could be involved in it,” he said,
“The attack took place at a location where there was no jungles or no residential houses where the attackers could hide after carrying out the attack,” he said.
It may be mentioned here that the attack was carried out by a local–Adil Ahmad Dar, who rammed his Maruti Eeco car carrying explosives into the convoy and had also died in the blast. Jaish-e-Mohammed had also released a video of the assailant, just before the attack.
“The Indian Army is one of the best in the world and some of the most honest and brave officers. There is a general perception that that it (the Pulwama attack) was an internal thing, and not a terrorism-related incident,” Kamal said.
Kamal demanded that a truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) be established to probe the incident.
“Who do we blame? Until it’s clear as to who’s the killer, all five fingers point toward agencies of Government of India. And agency doesn’t decide on its own; it is decided by Delhi Darbar,” said Kamal.
Speaking to another news channel shortly after, Kamal was asked why would India kill its own soldiers, to which Kamal said, “because they are authorised to do that.”
