Amit Shah Faces Backlash for Red Carpet Appearance in Kashmir Amid Terror Attacks
Srinagar, April 23, 2025 – Union Home Minister Amit Shah has drawn sharp criticism on social media for walking a red carpet in Kashmir, just days after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, on April 22. The attack, one of the deadliest in the region since the abrogation of Article 370, has reignited debates over security and accountability in Jammu and Kashmir.
After 26/11, Congress’s Home Minister resigned.
— Shweta@soni (@ShwetaSoni2510) April 23, 2025
After Pulwama, Poonch & Pahalgam, BJP’s Home Minister Amit Shah walks red carpets in Kashmir.
No shame. No accountability. Just optics and arrogance.
When the nation mourns, he poses.
This is the BJP’s idea of leadership.… pic.twitter.com/9wiYsT8jEG
In a post on X, user ShwetaSoni2510 contrasted the BJP-led government's response with that of the Congress-led government after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, noting that the then-Home Minister resigned to take responsibility. "After Pulwama, Poonch & Pahalgam, BJP’s Home Minister Amit Shah walks red carpets in Kashmir. No shame. No accountability. Just optics and arrogance," the post read, using the hashtag #PahalgamTerroristAttacks. The sentiment resonated with several users, who accused the government of prioritizing theatrics over action, while others defended Shah, pointing to surgical strikes following the 2019 Pulwama attack as evidence of a stronger response.
Shah met with the victims' families in Srinagar on Wednesday, assuring them of justice. "Those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared," he said in a statement on X. According to The Hindu, the Pahalgam attack was carried out by a group of terrorists, including two Kashmiri men who had recently infiltrated from Pakistan. Anti-Pakistan protests erupted in Jammu, with locals demanding a crackdown on terrorism in the region.
The controversy comes amid heightened tensions in Kashmir, with the upcoming Amarnath Yatra raising further concerns about tourist safety. The government has yet to announce an official death toll, but sources indicate at least 25 fatalities in the Pahalgam attack.
