New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI): Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today accused him of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir. He also said that the prime minister's pursuit of short- term political gains from the BJP-PDP alliance in the state has cost the country dear and resulted in sacrifices of innocent Indians.

"Modi's policies have created space for terrorists in Kashmir. Grave strategic blow for India. "Short term political gain for Modi from PDP alliance has cost India massively," he said in a series of tweets. Gandhi also tweeted, "Modi's personal gain = India's strategic loss + sacrifice of innocent Indian blood."

The Congress vice president had yesterday termed the attack on Amarnath pilgrims as a "grave and unacceptable security lapse" and asked the prime minister to accept responsibility. He had also said that India will never be intimidated by terrorists.

Opposition parties had also asked the government to introspect on its failure to prevent the "cowardly and ghastly" terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims despite reports of advance intelligence inputs.

"The government needs to introspect as to why, despite advanced intelligence inputs, was there a failure to prevent this attack?" a resolution passed by 18 opposition parties yesterday said.

The BJP, however, asked Gandhi to "rise to the occasion" and not do politics over the Amarnath terror strike after he attacked the PM.