A statement made by Jharkhand’s Urban Development Minister, Sudhivya Kumar Sonu, demanding the resignation of the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister over the recent terror attack in Pahalgam has sparked political chatter and public debate.

While speaking to reporters in Lohardaga, Minister Sonu said, “When such a major incident takes place, someone must be held accountable. On moral grounds, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh should resign.”

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The remark left everyone baffled, as Pahalgam is not located in Himachal Pradesh but in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, which is directly administered by the Union government.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Babulal Marandi, strongly criticised the statement, saying, “This sarcastic remark reflects his deep-rooted arrogance and madness. At a time when not just the entire nation, but the whole world is in shock over the Pahalgam attack, such foolishness by a minister is shameful and deserves the strongest condemnation.”

He added, “I used to consider him a relatively serious individual, but after witnessing this behaviour, the people of Jharkhand are left embarrassed.”

As the controversy deepened, Minister Sonu issued a clarification stating that his remark was a deliberate piece of satire and that he was merely referring to the tradition of moral responsibility. “In 1956, Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned after a train accident. In 1999, Nitish Kumar did the same. In 2008, Shivraj Patil stepped down following the Mumbai attacks. When terrorists penetrate 300 kilometres inside the country and carry out an attack, there must be accountability,” he said.

He also added, “When journalists abandon journalism, it is left to politicians to raise the tough questions.”

Political analysts have described the minister’s statement as a case of “geographical ignorance” and “cheap politics over a national tragedy.”

A senior opposition leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked, “It’s shocking that a cabinet minister doesn’t know where Pahalgam is located. He’s already made a mistake and is now shamelessly trying to cover it up.”