Thane (Maharashtra) [India], April 30 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday defended his 'giving religious angle harmful' remarks regarding the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack and said that his statement was interpreted in a 'wrong way'.

He also advocated the call for a special assembly session in Maharashtra to discuss the terror attack, which left 26 people dead and injured many.

'My statement on the terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir was shown in the wrong way. I had said that the terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir should not be given a Hindu-Muslim communal colour. It is an attack on our country, and the central government should take strict action against the terrorists,' Pawar told reporters in a news conference here.

He extended support to the opposition's call for a special assembly session in Maharashtra so that strict action is taken against outfits responsible for the April 22 attack in the Pahalgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

'The state government must call a special session to take strict action against the organisations responsible for the Jammu Kashmir terror attack,' Pawar added.

Pawar was speaking at an event where he inaugurated the Tuljapur Prati Mandir.

He took a dig at leaders from the ruling party, who have criticised him for not visiting temples, and said, 'The big leaders of the ruling party who used to say that I don't go to the temple, I don't pray. Today, this is the answer for them: I go to the temple and have faith in God.'

Earlier, the Indian National Congress called for a special parliamentary session to address the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which claimed 26 innocent lives.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday urged the government to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament in response to the attack.

In his letter, Kharge stated that the proposed session would be a platform to express a joint stance on the attack and would demonstrate a collective resolve to address the situation.

The Congress President also added that the opposition's beliefs in unity and solidarity are the need of the hour.

The request comes amid increased political focus on national security and responses to terrorism, amidst outrage and mourning following the terror attack on April 22.

Earlier on Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly held a special session condemning the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. During the session, a resolution was adopted expressing strong disapproval of the attack and extending solidarity to the victims and their families.

The attack in Pahalgam is one of the deadliest attacks in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike, in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has taken strong measures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism. (ANI)