Chidambaram Says US Pressure Stopped India From Retaliating After 26/11; BJP Slams His Remark
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram said on Tuesday that international pressure, particularly from the United States, and the Ministry of External Affairs' stand led the then-UPA government to refrain from retaliating against Pakistan following the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) September 30: According to former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, the External Affairs Ministry's position and strong international pressure caused the then-UPA government to decide against retaliating against Pakistan. This is after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The experienced congress member acknowledges that "retribution crossed my mind," but the government chose not to use force. BJP officials have harshly criticized his comments. They call the acknowledgement "too little, too late.”
Condoleezza Rice Urged Restraint After Mumbai Attacks
Chidambaram became the Union Home Minister a few days after the coordinated terror attack. It has killed 175 people. He stated, "The whole world descended upon Delhi to tell us 'don't start a war'.”
The Congress politician said, "Condoleezza Rice, who was then US Secretary of State, flew in two or three days after I took over, to meet me and the Prime Minister. And to say, 'please don't react'. I said this is a decision that the government will take. Without disclosing any official secret, it did cross my mind that we should do some act of retribution."
He added, "The Prime Minister had discussed this even when the attack was going on. And the conclusion was, largely influenced by the Ministry of External Affairs, and the IFS, that we should not physically react to the situation."
BJP Questions Congress Leadership and Motives
BJP officials have criticized the veteran Congress politician for the admission. His comments did not sit well with them.
According to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, the former Home Minister acknowledged that the nation was already aware that the Mumbai attacks had been "mishandled due to pressure from foreign powers."
According to BJP representative Shehzad Poonawala, Chidambaram supported military action against Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks, but "others prevailed". He was first hesitant to take on the role of Home Minister.
He further questioned whether the measure had been blocked by then-prime minister Manmohan Singh or senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. He states that the UPA leadership seemed to be influenced by Condoleezza Rice.
Details of the 2008 Mumbai Terror Attack
On November 26, 2008, ten Pakistani terrorists connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba attacked the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel, the Leopold Cafe, the Cama Hospital, the Nariman House, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj train station.
