Pune, Apr 25 (PTI) NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said while the Centre kept claiming that terrorism had ended in Kashmir, the Pahalgam terror attack showed security lapses, and added that corrective measures were required to be taken urgently.
Addressing a press conference here, he said that in view of the attack on a "safe place" like Pahalgam, one needs to exercise caution in claiming that terrorism has been defeated in Kashmir.
Pawar also said that as the terror attack was against the country, nobody should indulge in politicising the issue.
The terror attack at Baisaran near Pahalgam on April 22 left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.
"The action by terrorists is against India and when there is an activity which is against the country, there should not be any room for politicising it," Pawar said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday convened an all-party meeting to discuss the April 22 Pahalgam attack, Pawar said.
"From our side, MP Supriya Sule attended the meeting. I am happy that all the parties have taken a stand to cooperate with the government. Whatever decision is taken, we are with the government and the government should look into this with more seriousness," he said.
"The government keeps on claiming that they have destroyed terrorism in Kashmir and now there is no need to worry. I am glad if this (end of terrorism in the valley) is happening, but the recent terror attack shows that there are some lapses and urgent steps need to be taken to address these lapses. On that front also, we will extend our cooperation," Pawar said.
When asked if intelligence failure led to the terror attack, the former defence minister said it was "evident".
"If a safe place like Pahalgam has been targeted, then we should be more cautious in making the claim that we have achieved success against terrorism in the valley...more caution needs to be taken," he added.
Pawar said that he visited the Pune-based families of Santosh Jagdale and Kaustubh Ganbote, who were killed in Pahalgam in the terror attack.
Asked whether the government was trying to paint a picture that by repealing Article 370, all the issues in Kashmir have ended, he said that although it boasted about the abrogation of the constitutional provision, the opinion of Kashmiri people was different.
Replying to a query over the demand that the Union home minister should step down in the wake of the terror attack over the "intelligence failure", he said that capturing the perpetrators and taking a stern action against them was the priority.
"At least today I will not make any such demand that this or that person should resign," the former Union minister said.
Pawar expressed fear that after the terror attack, tourism in Kashmir will take a hit, and requested the government to look into the issue seriously.
He also said that decisions like suspension of the Indus Water Treaty was a message to Pakistan.