SRINAGAR: The West Bengal Assembly is set to adopt a resolution condemning the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead, including three from the state. The resolution will be moved by Speaker Biman Banerjee during the upcoming monsoon session that begins Monday, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expected to take part in the discussion on Tuesday.
According to Assembly sources, the resolution will not reference Operation Sindoor, the military action that followed the Baisaran Valley killings. However, it will express unequivocal support for the Indian Armed Forces’ precision strikes on terror infrastructure across the Line of Control.
“This House expresses its profound sense of shock and anguish at the barbaric and inhumane attack perpetrated on innocent tourists in the Baisaran valley of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which resulted in the tragic loss of 26 innocent lives, including three from West Bengal,” the resolution states.
The resolution further commends the Army’s role, stating: “This House commends the coordinated efforts of the different wings of the Indian Armed Forces in targeting with absolute precision and destroying major terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK)… and salutes the discipline, dedication and courage shown by the different wings of the Indian Armed Forces in combatting militant and terrorist activities and safeguarding the sovereignty of the Nation.”
It also notes the unity and resilience displayed by citizens, especially from Jammu and Kashmir, in the wake of the attack.
While the Chief Minister was originally scheduled to travel to New Delhi on Monday, officials said her visit has been postponed, possibly to enable her participation in Tuesday’s discussion on the Pahalgam resolution.
The monsoon session will also see the state government introduce a bill to expand the list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) by adding 76 new castes, raising the total to 140. The amendment follows recommendations from the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes and was approved by the Cabinet last Monday.
In a separate development, Farakka in Murshidabad district will be upgraded to a subdivision. Meanwhile, the opposition BJP plans to move a motion in the House concerning recent communal unrest in Murshidabad.
