At an all-party meeting held on Thursday evening, leaders from across the political spectrum pressed the Centre for answers regarding the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 civilian lives. The meeting was convened by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah, just a day after India unveiled a string of strong countermeasures targeting Pakistan.

The Centre had earlier announced the downgrading of diplomatic relations, the expulsion of Pakistan's military attachés, the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and the closure of the Attari land border crossing — all in response to the Pahalgam incident.

The main concern voiced by the Opposition was the lack of security presence in Baisaran, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgam where the attack occurred. This question was initially raised by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and found support from other leaders, including Rajya Sabha Opposition Leader Mallikarjun Kharge and AAP's Sanjay Singh.

In response, the government explained that security deployment in the Baisaran region is typically aligned with preparations for the annual Amarnath Yatra, which commences in June. At that time, forces are stationed along the route, including Baisaran, to safeguard the influx of pilgrims headed to the Amarnath shrine.

Officials further stated that tour operators had begun taking visitors to Baisaran as early as April 20, well before the start of the Yatra season. This early tourist activity had reportedly not been communicated to the local administration, and as a result, security forces had not yet been stationed in the area.

The Opposition also challenged the government’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, questioning its practicality given India’s current limitations in water storage infrastructure.

Responding to this, government representatives clarified that the move was not intended for immediate impact but was meant as a symbolic and strategic signal of India’s stance.

“This suspension is a message — it shows the seriousness of the government's position and its intent to act decisively,” a government official stated during the meeting.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh kicked off the session by providing an overview of the security environment. Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka gave a 20-minute briefing that covered intelligence gathered before the attack, the sequence of events, and subsequent actions taken.

The meeting was attended by a broad spectrum of political leaders. Alongside Mr Gandhi and Mr Kharge, BJP President JP Nadda, who also leads the ruling party in the Rajya Sabha, participated. Other attendees included Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), Praful Patel (NCP), Sasmit Patra (BJD), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Premchand Gupta (RJD), Tiruchi Siva (DMK), and Ram Gopal Yadav (SP).