'Terrorists don't attack tourists': TMC MLA sparks row

Mon, 28 July 2025

21:09

File image

Trinamool Congress MLA Sabitri Mitra sparked a political row by saying that terrorists don't target tourists, while commenting on the attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

Mitra, the MLA of Manikchak in Muslim-dominated Malda district, purportedly made the comment on Sunday while addressing a rally.

"Terrorists don't target tourists. Terrorists have a bigger game plan, and they target security forces. Then who killed so many tourists in Pahalgam? What is their identity?" she said at the rally, a video of which went viral on Monday.

PTI could not independently verify the video.

The BJP was quick to latch on to the comments, accusing Mitra of "defending" terrorists.

"She claimed that terrorists never harm tourists and that they always respect tourists. This outrageous justification comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. Instead of standing with the victims, she is busy whitewashing terrorism," BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said in a post on X.

"Is this the official stand of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee now -- to sympathise with jihadis while innocent Indians are being killed?" he asked. -- PTI

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