Her grief at losing her husband and son turned into raw rage as the wife of Shailesh Kalathiya, a victim of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and Union Minister CR Patil and other leaders who had come to pay condolences.
Shailesh, a resident of Surat, was among the 26 civilians killed in the brutal terror attack earlier this week. His body was brought back to Surat, where his final rites were performed this morning. Patil and other political leaders reached Surat on Thursday to meet the grieving family. The victim&rsquo;s wife, unable to contain her sorrow and anger, delivered a scathing statement on the government&rsquo;s failure to ensure civilian safety.
&ldquo;Give me back my husband,&rsquo; she cried in front of the leaders. &ldquo;Is only your life valuable? Is our life not? Do taxpayers not deserve protection too?&rdquo; she cried.
The emotional outburst stunned the gathered leaders into silence. Minister Patil, visibly shaken, stood with his head bowed, offering no response. The victim&rsquo;s wife continued: &ldquo;What will happen to my children now? Who will secure their future? I want justice. If you collect taxes from us, why wasn&rsquo;t there any protection for my husband when he needed it the most?&rdquo;
She pointed out the lack of security arrangements in the area of the attack. &ldquo;There were no police, no army, no safety. If this is what happens to innocent people, then this government does not deserve our votes.&rdquo;
The grieving widow further accused the terrorists of religious targeting. &ldquo;They separated Hindus from Muslims and killed only the Hindus. The terrorist who shot my husband stood there laughing until he died. What kind of humanity is this?&rdquo;
She also criticized the government&rsquo;s double standards on security:&nbsp;&ldquo;When VIPs come, there are convoys of cars, helicopters in the air&mdash;all paid for with our taxes. But when ordinary citizens travel, where is their security? Why wasn&rsquo;t there any for my husband?&rdquo;
Demanding direct accountability, she asked Patil,&nbsp;&ldquo;You live here in Surat. Tell me&mdash;what will you do for my husband now?&rdquo;
This was not just one family&rsquo;s tragedy, she said. &ldquo;Many innocent men were killed. They all had small children. I wanted to make my son an engineer and my daughter a doctor. Now, how will I do that?&rdquo;
The woman&rsquo;s searing words echoed a larger national sentiment&mdash;one demanding justice, accountability, and above all, safety. Her pain left the leaders speechless, with no option but to offer condolences.
As outrage grows across the country, her appeal is a poignant reminder that the time for symbolic gestures is over&mdash;what citizens now demand is action.
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Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil listens to Shailesh Parmar’s wife

Wife of Pahalgam terror attack victim from Surat expresses anguish in front of BJP leaders

‘Is Only Your Life Valuable? I Want Justice!’

Wife of Pahalgam terror attack victim from Surat expresses anguish in front of BJP leaders

April 24, 2025 | 18:41 IST