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P Chidambaram’s Pahalgam remark draws BJP ire; Congress hits back
The BJP said the Congress rushes to give a clean chit to Pakistan and their leaders sound more like Islamabad’s defence lawyers than India’s Opposition
A war of words erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress after former Union minister P Chidambram targeted the government over the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
In an interview to a news portal, Chidambaram alleged lack of official transparency on the terror strike and the subsequent military action. “Have they identified the terrorists? For all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists. Why do you assume that they came from Pakistan? There is no evidence of that,” he said.
He also alleged that the government is “hiding” critical details and is either “incompetent” or “unwilling” to present a comprehensive statement in Parliament.
The BJP responded sharply, accusing the Congress of siding with Pakistan. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said, “Once again, the Congress rushes to give a clean chit to Pakistan… Congress leaders sound more like Islamabad’s defence lawyers than India’s Opposition.”
Union minister Pralhad Joshi added that such statements could bolster Pakistan’s international positioning. “They were the same people, when in power, who used to say there was no involvement of Pakistan,” he said.
Reacting to the backlash, Chidambaram criticised the selective editing of his interview. “The worst kind is a troll who suppresses the full recorded interview, takes two sentences, mutes some words, and paints the speaker in a black colour,” he posted on X.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Singh aligned with the government’s position, stating, “Chidambaram may know what he is saying. The government has said that they were Pakistani terrorists. Pakistan has a history of spreading terrorism in India... All the terror attacks in India are backed by Pakistan.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi added, “First, the TRF took the responsibility (of Pahalgam), then it retracted. Pakistan speaks at the UN for the TRF... We need no proof; we have faced it. It is all done by Pakistan.”
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav defended Chidambaram, saying, “It is the government that has to answer the questions raised. But the Congress was in power in Delhi in the past; they might have some sources of information.”
Meanwhile, Congress MP Manickam Tagore dismissed the BJP’s criticism as “diversionary tactics” and affirmed the party’s unwavering support for the armed forces, reiterating that “Pakistan must stop the export of terrorism to India.”
