Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 9: Congress leader and former Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, calling them “terribly wrong” and a misrepresentation of facts.
In a post on X, Chidambaram expressed his disappointment over the Prime Minister attributing statements to him that he never made. He wrote, “I quote the Hon’ble PM's words… has said India was ready to respond after 26/11, but because of the pressure exerted by some country, then Congress govt stopped India's armed forces from attacking Pakistan. The statement has three parts, and each one of them is WRONG, terribly WRONG. It is disappointing to read that the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India imagined the words and attributed them to me.”
Earlier, PM Modi, without naming Chidambaram, referred to a senior Congress leader’s interview discussing the UPA government’s stance following the 26/11 attacks. Modi asked the Congress to clarify who decided to stop India’s forces from responding to Pakistan under foreign influence, saying the nation had the right to know.
Highlighting Mumbai’s significance, Modi said, “Mumbai is not only the economic capital city but also one of the most vibrant cities in India. That is why terrorists chose Mumbai for a major attack in 2008. But the Congress government in power then sent a message of weakness, a message of surrender to terrorism.”
Chidambaram, however, clarified that his interview on the ABP News Podcast on October 1 recounted the internal government decision-making and international diplomatic pressures, particularly from the United States, which influenced India’s response. He also noted that he assumed charge as Home Minister on November 30, 2008, a day after the attacks, following the resignation of Shivraj Patil.
The exchange has reignited debate over India’s handling of the 26/11 attacks, reflecting contrasting narratives between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress on one of the country’s deadliest terror incidents.