Why was Parl not taken into confidence: Left parties on security advisory for Amarnath pilgrims

Left parties hit out at the government on Friday over a security advisory issued for the Amarnath pilgrims and tourists in the Kashmir valley, saying Parliament should have been taken into confidence before sending out such a missive.

In a tweet, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also alleged that rumours were being allowed to fester in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir government asked the Amarnath pilgrims and tourists on Friday to immediately make necessary arrangements to cut short their stay in the Valley and return as soon as possible in the wake of intelligence inputs of "specific terror threats" to the pilgrimage.

The principal secretary (home) of the state issued a security advisory, saying pilgrims and tourists "may curtail their stay" and "return as soon as possible".

"Parliament is in session. Why isn't the PM taking the House into confidence? The panic and rumours allowed to fester in J&K are helping nobody," Yechury said in the tweet.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader also tagged a news report about the security advisory issued by the Jammu and Kashmir government along with his tweet.

Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja said terrorism was an issue that concerned the entire nation, all political parties spoke in one voice on it and the government was duty-bound to inform Parliament about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Terrorism is not a partisan issue. The government should tell Parliament as well as the nation what is really happening there. In the struggle against terrorism, the country stands as one. The government should take all political parties into confidence. It is a common fight, common concern," he said.