Rahul Gandhi Urges PM Modi to Grant Martyr Status to Pahalgam Attack Victims, Echoes Grief of Bereaved Families
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confer martyr status on the 26 victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack, urging the government to honour the sentiments of their grieving families.
Taking to X, Gandhi wrote, “I stand with the families of those killed in the Pahalgam attack in their grief and their demand for martyr status. The Prime Minister is requested to respect the sentiments of these families by conferring this honour upon them.”
The Congress leader also shared a video from his visit to Kanpur, where he met the family of Shubham Dwivedi, one of the deceased. In the clip, Shubham’s wife tells Gandhi, “I don’t want anything for myself, but I want martyr status for Shubham and all 26 victims.”
Shubham’s father added, “You can convey our request to the government, speak to the Prime Minister.”
At a press conference in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi reiterated his demand, stating that the issue of martyr status deserves urgent attention. “Maybe today this is more important than even the caste census. I met the families of those killed in cold blood. The Prime Minister himself has referred to them as martyrs. We expect him to honour that with formal recognition.”
Earlier in Kanpur, Shubham’s father Sanjay Dwivedi voiced his demand for ‘shaheed’ status for his son. “Rahul Gandhi assured us he had written to the PM. Priyanka Gandhi also called and said our demand is justified. She assured us she would press the government to act,” he said.
The calls for official recognition reflect a broader public sentiment seeking justice and honour for the victims of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
