Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram stirred a political row on Tuesday with his remarks on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Speaking on a podcast, Chidambaram revealed that he personally supported retaliatory military action against Pakistan after the deadly assault.
However, he said the then UPA government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided against it and instead pursued diplomatic measures in line with the External Affairs Ministry’s approach.
Chidambaram explained that powerful nations, including the United States, pressured India to avoid war with Pakistan. He also recalled that he was appointed Home Minister immediately after the 26/11 attacks, having earlier served as Finance Minister.
Rashid Alvi Questions Chidambaram’s Timing
Chidambaram’s remarks triggered criticism from within his own party. Congress leader Rashid Alvi questioned why Chidambaram chose to make such a statement after 16 years.
He asked, “Does this mean he was working under American pressure? Why is he making this claim now? If he disagreed back then, why didn’t he resign?” Alvi added that such remarks only benefit the BJP and accused some Congress leaders of weakening their own party.
Delhi: On former Union Minister P. Chidambaram’s ‘US stopped from retaliating after 26/11 attacks’ statement, Congress leader Rashid Alvi says, “Does this mean he was working under U.S. pressure? Such a statement will only benefit the BJP. Why is Chidambaram making this claim… pic.twitter.com/nCaeD4pFwG
— IANS (@ians_india) October 1, 2025
BJP Slams UPA Government as ‘Weak’
The BJP seized on Chidambaram’s remarks to launch an attack on the Congress and the former UPA government. Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said Chidambaram’s admission exposed the weakness of Manmohan Singh’s leadership.
He stated, “Chidambaram’s comments raise a big question on how weak the government under Manmohan Singh really was. His statement makes it clear how much the then Prime Minister bent under pressure.”
Prasad demanded a response from Rahul Gandhi, insisting that the country had now seen how the UPA government functioned.
Targeting Chidambaram directly, Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned why the former minister kept his views hidden for so many years. “Why did he withhold this information from the nation for so long? This is shameful. The External Affairs Ministry overruled the Home Ministry, and Manmohan Singh could do nothing,” he said.
The BJP reiterated that India should have given Pakistan a strong response after the attacks and accused the Congress of bowing to foreign pressure.
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