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Chidambaram attacks Centre over ceasefire after Operation Sindoor
Chidambaram also took aim at United States President Donald Trump’s claims of brokering an India-Pakistan ceasefire, alleging that the DGMOs of both nations could not have agreed without political approval.
New Delhi Congress leader and former home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday lauded India’s military leadership during and after Operation Sindoor, but accused the Centre of failing to match its candour, decisiveness, and strategy.
Participating in the special discussion in Rajya Sabha on Operation Sindoor, the Congress veteran said, “The Chief of Defence Staff was candid about losses. The Deputy Chief of Army Staff admitted Chinese aircraft and missiles were deployed by Pakistan. If true, China is testing its military hardware in our conflict.”
Drawing a parallel with the this transparency with the government’s response, he said, “Where is the strategy? Why has the government not admitted the intelligence and security failures that led to the Pahalgam attack?”
The former home minister also questioned why India agreed to do a ceasefire when the operation against Pakistan was successful.
Referring to the Bangladesh war of 1971, he said, “On December 16, 1971, there was a historic victory. General Niazi surrendered to General Jagjit Singh Aurora along with 93,000 soldiers. It was the largest surrender of prisoners of war after World War II. On the contrary, Operation Sindoor ended with a ceasefire. I think the people of India know the difference between a surrender and a ceasefire.”
Noting that India was no longer fighting a one-front or a two-front war, he said, “Pakistan and China were no longer different fronts, but are fused fronts”. He also asked the government whether it has plans to take on a “fused” front war with Pakistan, China and also some other players.
Chidambaram also took aim at United States President Donald Trump’s claims of brokering an India-Pakistan ceasefire, alleging that the DGMOs of both nations could not have agreed without political approval. “President Trump declared the ceasefire. Not even a note of protest from our government,” he said, also citing US actions like steep tariffs, deportations of Indian migrants “in handcuffs and shackles,” and restrictions on foreign students without any Indian response.
Observing that India sent delegations to various countries, Chidambaram wondered why no delegation was sent to neighbouring nations like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and the Maldives.
“Everyone condemned terrorism and sympathised with terror victims in India after the Pahalgam attack, but no country named and shamed Pakistan,” he said.
