Ahead of the Operation Sindoor debate in Parliament, a massive political row has erupted over Congress veteran P Chidambaram’s remarks in an interview, in which he said “homegrown terrorists” could be involved in the Pahalgam terror attack and questioned what evidence proves that the killers came from Pakistan.
The BJP has accused the Opposition party of giving a clean chit to Pakistan and said the Congress always bends over backwards to “protect the enemy”.
During an interview with The Quint, the former Home Minister said the government is unwilling to disclose the work NIA has done in the aftermath of the terror attack. “Have they identified the terrorists? Where they came from? I mean, for all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists. Why do you assume that they came from Pakistan? There’s no evidence of that,” he said.
The Centre and the security establishment have maintained that the Pahalgam killers, who murdered 26 innocents in cold blood in front of other families, were Pakistan nationals.
Mr Chidambaram also accused the government of “hiding the losses” during Operation Sindoor, India’s counterstrike after the Pahalgam attack. “They are also hiding the losses. I said it in a column that in a war, losses will occur on both sides. I understand that India would have suffered losses. Be upfront.”
“Winston Churchill in World War II made a statement every other day. Whatever losses they suffered, Britain suffered, they made it plain. Therefore, they are reluctant to admit the losses. But losses are inevitable and natural in a war. So, admit the losses. I think they think they can put a large shroud on Operation Sundoor. It won’t work.”
P. Chidambaram, former UPA-era Home Minister and the original proponent of the infamous “Saffron Terror” theory, covers himself with glory yet again:
“Have they (NIA) identified the terrorists or where they came from? For all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists.
Mr Chidambaram asked why the government was “ducking” questions. “And why is the Prime Minister not speaking on Operation Sindhu? Why do you think there’s a reluctance to have a debate in the temple of democracy? That’s what Parliament is. After all, Prime Minister Modi has addressed the nation. He’s addressed various rallies,” he said.
The Congress leader asked if the government was uncomfortable with the idea that they would be asked about how the ceasefire came about. “Because let’s be honest, it was not the Indian government that announced it. It was Donald Trump,” he said.
The senior Congress MP’s remarks have drawn a sharp response from the ruling BJP.
“P Chidambaram, former UPA-era Home Minister and the original proponent of the infamous ‘Saffron Terror’ theory, covers himself with glory yet again: Have they (NIA) identified the terrorists or where they came from? For all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists. Why do you assume they came from Pakistan? There is no evidence of that,” senior BJP leader Amit Malviya has said on X.
“Once again, the Congress rushes to give a clean chit to Pakistan – this time after the Pahalgam terror attack. Why is it that every time our forces confront Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Congress leaders sound more like Islamabad’s defence lawyers than India’s opposition?” Mr Malviya added.
“When it comes to national security, there should be no ambiguity. But with the Congress, there never is – they always bend over backwards to protect the enemy,” he said.
>BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, too, accused the Congress of giving a clean chit to Pakistan hours ahead of the Parliament debate. “26/11 to Surgical Strike to Pahalgam, Congress ka haath, Pakistan ke saath!”
Congress MP Imran Masood has backed Mr Chidambaram. Targeting the BJP, he said it was the government that gave a clean chit to Pakistan by agreeing to a ceasefire. “You stopped the forces. You brought India and Pakistan to the same level on the global stage. The terrorists are still alive. Aren’t you ashamed? If the Pahalgam killers are alive, every Indian should be ashamed,” he said.
