Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has sparked a political firestorm after questioning Pakistan’s role in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead. His comments, made during a recent interview with The Quint, have triggered sharp backlash from political leaders, security experts, and the public.
In the interview, Chidambaram asked, “Why do you assume they came from Pakistan? There’s no evidence of that.” His remarks come despite official investigations pointing squarely to cross-border involvement.
Jammu and Kashmir Police had released sketches of four suspects, and intelligence reports confirmed that Pakistani nationals, working with local operatives, executed the deadly assault on tourists in the popular hill town. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) further underscored that such a large-scale operation would have required external funding, implicating international terror networks.
Critics were quick to react. Author and political analyst Ratan Sharda accused Chidambaram of once again offering a “clean chit” to Pakistan and recalled his controversial track record. “These are the same people who claimed 26/11 was RSS ki sazish… who killed evidence and US intel of Pakistan’s role in the Malegaon and Samjhauta blasts. How do they sleep at night?” Sharda wrote on social media.
Opposition leaders and BJP figures joined in, questioning how a former Home Minister—who held office during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks—could downplay overwhelming evidence tying Pakistan-based terrorists to Indian soil.
While Chidambaram was earlier praised for swiftly restoring constitutional order post-26/11, critics argue that under his leadership, investigations into the 2007 Samjhauta Express and Malegaon bombings failed to pursue leads implicating Pakistani handlers.
With the monsoon session of Parliament now underway and Operation Sindoor up for discussion, Chidambaram’s statement is being interpreted as a signal of the Congress party’s likely stance on national security in the upcoming debates.
