Chidambaram dismisses BJP’s Pakistan link theory in Pahalgam attack
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and former Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram has rejected the Modi government’s narrative linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack, stating that no concrete evidence has been made public to prove the attackers were Pakistani nationals.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in an interview with The Quint, Chidambaram raised serious questions about the ongoing investigation into the July attack, saying the government must present credible proof if it intends to hold Pakistan accountable on the international stage.
“Why have you not apprehended the terrorists? Why have you not even identified them?” Chidambaram asked, criticizing what he termed as “inadequate disclosure” by Indian investigating agencies. He noted that no country, not even India’s neighbours—Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan, Mauritania or Bangladesh—blamed Pakistan for the attack. Likewise, international groupings such as the SCO and BRICS also refrained from naming Pakistan.
Chidambaram’s remarks, particularly his assertion of “no evidence,” went viral on social media, drawing sharp criticism from BJP leaders, who accused him of parroting Pakistan’s line and giving a “clean chit” to Islamabad.
The political debate intensified just ahead of the Parliament’s scheduled 16-hour discussion on the military operation codenamed “Operation Sindoor.”
Referring to the post-2019 developments in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Chidambaram asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 had worsened the situation, deepening the alienation of the Kashmiri people and creating a policy vacuum. He described the situation in IIOJK as a “peace of the graveyard.”
On the foreign policy front, Chidambaram recalled U.S. President Donald Trump’s revelation that PM Modi had asked him to mediate on Kashmir. He said India’s public denial only led to diplomatic confusion. “It takes two sides to agree to a ceasefire. If Trump had a role to play in it, what is the shame in admitting it?” he asked.
Chidambaram also questioned the government’s handling of Operation Sindoor, alleging that authorities were hiding tactical failures and India’s losses. He pointed out the government’s reluctance to make a full disclosure in Parliament and accused it of using scattered statements from defence officials instead of a unified explanation from top ministers.
He said: “We get snatches of information—from the CDS in Singapore, from the deputy army chief in Mumbai, even a naval officer in Indonesia. But where is the comprehensive statement from the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, or Foreign Minister?”
