NEW DELHI: Indian politician Sanatan Pandey has revealed that the 2019 Pulwama attack, which killed more than 40 paramilitary personnel, was not carried out by foreign actors but was instead part of a conspiracy involving the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Indian government had accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack, which brought the two nuclear powers to the brink of war.
Speaking to the media, Pandey, a leader of the Samajwadi Party, claimed that the Pulwama incident was allegedly orchestrated to serve political ends. He further criticised the BJP for failing to provide clarity on the origin of the RDX explosives used in the attack and accused the government of routinely blaming Pakistan without proper investigation or evidence.
The Pulwama attack occurred in February 2019 on the Lethpora Highway, when a vehicle laden with explosives rammed into a bus carrying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, killing more than 40 soldiers and injuring many others.
Pandey’s comments add to the ongoing political debate in India regarding accountability and the handling of one of the deadliest attacks on Indian security forces in recent years.
The allegations underscore concerns that the Indian leadership has often used claims of terrorism from Pakistan to advance political narratives.
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In the backdrop of the attack, India carried out airstrikes in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. During subsequent aerial engagements, Pakistan shot down one Indian jet and captured its pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was later returned to India.
