Chidambaram Rebuts PM Modi's Claims on Congress's 26/11 Response

In a sharp rebuke, Congress leader P Chidambaram criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday for his remarks concerning the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, describing them as 'terribly wrong'.

Taking to social media platform X, Chidambaram expressed his disappointment over Prime Minister Modi misattributing remarks to him. He highlighted a statement from PM Modi, reported in Times of India, suggesting that India was prepared to respond militarily after 26/11, but was prevented by external pressures on the Congress government.

Chidambaram firmly stated that Modi's remarks were incorrect, noting that none of the three parts of the Prime Minister's statement held any truth. Modi, without naming Chidambaram, referenced recent comments by the Congress leader regarding the UPA government's purported decision not to launch an attack on Pakistan due to foreign influence, questioning who within the Congress made such decisions. Stressing the significance of Mumbai, PM Modi argued that terrorists targeted it because of its economic and vibrant stature, criticizing the Congress's response in 2008 as a sign of weakness.

PM Modi further stated that this perceived weakness emboldened terrorists and compromised national security. Chidambaram, who became Home Minister shortly after the attacks, spoke on an ABP News Podcast about the factors influencing the government's decisions, including diplomatic pressure from the United States, on October 1.

(With inputs from agencies.)