Credit war erupts between Centre and State over Kashmir incident response

In the wake of a tragic terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed innocent lives, a political tug-of-war has broken out between the central and Karnataka state governments over who deserves credit for the relief and recovery efforts.

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BJP MP Tejaswi Surya, who happened to be in Kashmir during the attack, has publicly stated that the central government handled the situation effectively, implying that the Centre alone deserves credit for the swift response. His remarks have sparked backlash, especially from the Karnataka state government.

State Minister Santosh Lad, deployed to Jammu and Kashmir by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had reportedly been on the ground for several days. He coordinated with officials and ensured the bodies of victims were brought back to Karnataka. The state government insists it played a key role, highlighting that it not only deployed Lad but also provided compensation to the affected families.

As both governments stake claim to the efforts, the tragedy has taken a political turn. While the central government promotes its role through Surya’s narrative, the state government maintains it was proactive from the beginning.

What should have been a unified moment of compassion has now become a flashpoint for political one-upmanship, overshadowing the grief of the victims’ families. The debate over "who did what" continues to cloud the actual humanitarian efforts made on the ground.