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Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself raised this issue, claiming the Congress had no intent to fight Pakistan-sponsored terror
The Congress has hit back in defence, with P Chidambaram accusing the PM of spreading a lie. File pic/Reuters
The irony is that former home minister P Chidambaram is a man of few and measured words. A reputed lawyer, he was also made chairman of a communication group of ministers (GoM) of the UPA government to ensure that the narrative of the Manmohan Singh administration could be corrected as it was battered by many scam allegations.
The same Chidambaram’s words have now put his party in a spot. They are not happy about it. Though Chidambaram has clarified that he was misquoted, his words suggest that there was pressure on him not to counter the 26/11 Mumbai attacks aggressively.
What’s brought this controversy into the spotlight is the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself raised this issue, claiming the Congress had no intent to fight Pakistan-sponsored terror.
The Congress has hit back in defence, with P Chidambaram accusing the PM of spreading a lie. Former information and broadcasting (I&B) minister Manish Tewari told News18, “No government comes under any pressure not to take action against Pakistan. Read Shiv Shankar Menon’s book, and you will know the facts about how the Manmohan Singh government fought back.”
However, sources in the party say that P Chidambaram’s comment was avoidable. They said, “We have been putting pressure on the government, as Rahul Gandhi has been asking tough questions from the PM about Donald Trump’s claims that he brokered peace between India and Pakistan, which led to the ceasefire. Now, what can we do? The former home minister’s comment pushes us into a corner.”
For years, the Congress has been projected as being weak on terror, and this was the platform on which Modi became the PM in 2014. Since then, the Congress has been itching for revenge, and as Trump made claims of having brokered a ceasefire, the Congress jumped in to call the PM weak.
In fact, during a discussion in Parliament on Operation SindoorRahul Gandhi attacked PM Modi on this. Despite a strong rebuttal from the Prime Minister, the Congress has continued its attacks on the government and the PM. But now, this controversy has put the Congress in a spot. Worse, it will be repeatedly stirred and quoted by the government and the BJP to accuse Congress of buckling under pressure.
The Congress has been on the back foot on issues of nationalism. This latest controversy will make it worse.
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als…Read More
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als… Read More
October 09, 2025, 5:45 PM IST
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