Congress Leader Challenges Modi Government on Pahalgam Attack Transparency
ISLAMABAD: Senior Indian Congress leader and former Home Minister P. Chidambaram has sharply criticized the Narendra Modi-led government over its handling of the recent Pahalgam attack and the subsequent "Operation Sindoor."
Chidambaram suggested that the government might be concealing tactical errors or casualties from the public, accusing it of deliberately withholding crucial information. "Where are the terrorist attackers? Why have you not apprehended them, or even identified them?" he demanded, referencing the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives. He also questioned the status of individuals reportedly arrested for providing shelter to the attackers.
The former Home Minister highlighted what he perceived as a significant absence of clear, official communication from the highest levels of government. He noted that fragmented information was coming from various officers, including the Chief of Defence Staff, the Deputy Army Chief, and a junior naval officer, but questioned why the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, or Foreign Minister were not issuing comprehensive statements.
When pressed on what the government might be attempting to hide, Chidambaram speculated that they could be concealing "tactical mistakes" made during "Operation Sindoor" and subsequent strategy adjustments. "Either the BJP government lacks the competence to answer these questions or it is deliberately avoiding them," he asserted.
Furthermore, Chidambaram expressed concerns about the NIA's investigation, stating, "They are unwilling to disclose what the NIA has done all these weeks. Have they identified the terrorists, where they came from? For all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists. Why do you assume that they came from Pakistan? There's no evidence of that." He also urged the government to be transparent about any casualties suffered by Indian forces, acknowledging that "losses will occur on both sides" in a conflict.
Earlier in April, the Indian central government reportedly admitted to a security lapse contributing to the terror attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The Recent Indo-Pak Military Confrontation
The Pahalgam attack triggered a significant military confrontation between Pakistan and India in May this year.
During the engagement, Pakistan claimed to have downed six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, and dozens of drones. The conflict, which lasted at least 87 hours, concluded on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement.
While US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on social media, claiming it resulted from his intervention and threats to sever trade talks, India has disputed his assertions.
