New Delhi: Emphasising that terrorism is nearing its ‘decline’ in India, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in his Rajya Sabha address Wednesday that Hindus “can never be terrorists”. Coming down heavily on the Congress during the discussion on the Pahalgam massacre and Operation Sindoor, Shah said the Congress gave away a portion of Kashmir to Pakistan, but the Narendra Modi-led government will get it back.
“Congress party’s lenient policies and approach of appeasement allowed terrorism to grow and thrive in the country. Fortunately, we now have leadership that responds with decisive actions, deploying a BrahMos missile, rather than relying on mere dossiers,” he said.
Adding, “You (Congress) conceded a portion of Kashmir to Pakistan, but rest assured, we are committed to reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Today, I want to give a message from this House that Kashmir will be free from terrorism. This is the resolution of Shri Narendra Modi.”
Criticising former Union minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram for his assessment that there was no solid proof linking Pakistan to the terrorists who attacked tourists at Baisaran Valley on 22 April, Shah said, “Chidambaram saheb yesterday said it cannot be said that Operation Sindoor was decisive. Chidambaram saheb is not here but I want to respond to him. I want to ask him whether the 1965 and 1971 wars were decisive. If they were decisive, then why did terrorism continue to spread?”
Shah also accused earlier governments of not acting against terrorists.
“For all these years, no action was taken to intimidate them (terrorists), so why would they have been afraid … we just kept sending dossiers. Narendra Modi gave a befitting reply to them (Pakistan) with air strike and surgical strike … and Operation Sindoor. Khauf paida ho gaya (sense of fear prevailed among the terrorists).”
“Our agencies have found the proof. But during his (Chidambaram’s) tenure as home minister, Afzal Guru was not hanged … After the Mumbai terror attack, Digvijaya Singh said RSS had done it. Who are they trying to save … what are they trying to save,” Shah asked.
Lauding PM Modi for what he termed decisive action, Shah said in the Rajya Sabha while accusing previous Congress governments of indulging in appeasement politics, “Aur Hindu terror ka shagoofa kisne chora? Today I proudly declare to the world and the people of the country that a Hindu can never be a terrorist. Hindus can never be terrorists.”
“What do you want to say? You made fake cases, none of them stood in court. What did you do, you accused deshbhakt sangathans … just for your petty politics, still you lost…,” he said. But soon after Shah began his speech, the Opposition staged a walkout from Rajya Sabha, protesting the Prime Minister’s absence during the discussion on Operation Sindoor.
Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised his objection, following which Opposition MPs staged a walkout. “After 16 hours of discussion, we expected the PM to attend House proceedings. Whatever questions were raised relate to the PM, not that you (Amit Shah) are not capable to respond. Also, the PM not being here is a disrespect to this House,” Kharge said.
Shah responded by saying it was the government’s discretion to pick its line-up of speakers to present its case in Parliament.
Responding to Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan who criticised the government for code-naming a military operation Mahadev ‘on the basis of religion,’ Shah said it was also a war slogan used by Shivaji. “He fought for freedom against the Mughals. This is a symbol against every attack on India’s supremacy. India has given a fitting reply to them.”
The Union home minister cited figures to suggest that terrorism was ‘nearing its decline’ in India. “Between 2004 and 2014, a total of 7,217 terrorist incidents were recorded. However, from June 2015 to May 2025, the number of incidents significantly decreased to 2,150, reflecting a 70 percent reduction in terrorist activities,” he said.
Adding, “Today, I can confidently say that terrorism in Kashmir is on the verge of being eradicated. There was a time when Pakistan didn’t even need to send terrorists, as our own Kashmiri youth would pick up weapons. But I’m presenting data from the last six months—no Kashmiri youth has been recruited into any terrorist organisation. All those being neutralised now are Pakistanis.”
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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