Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reignited the debate over India’s response to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, asking the Congress, which was in power then, who had stopped India from retaliating.
“A Congress leader, who has also been Union home minister, has said that a country prevented India's military retaliation post-26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008. The party should clarify,” Modi said, speaking at a public gathering after inaugurating Phase One of the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Labelling the Congress’ hesitation as “weakness,” Modi said it strengthened terrorism.
“This weakness of Congress strengthened terrorists,” he declared. “The nation has the right to know who stopped India from going ahead with a military retaliation after the Mumbai terror attack.”
Referring to Operation Sindoor launched after the Pahalgam terror attack, Modi said, “For us, nothing is more important than the safety and security of our nation and its citizens.”
Congress Rajya Sabha MP, P. Chidambaram, who took over as Union home minister within days of the Mumbai terror attack, had acknowledged in a recent interview that military retaliation was considered but international pressure, including from then US state secretary Condoleezza Rice, influenced India’s decision.
Chidambaram later clarified his remarks, denying the claim that the US “stopped” India. “In no part of the interview did I say that 'US stopped us from retaliating after the 26/11 attack'. Yet, channel after channel and the media and the Twitterati are merrily attributing words to me. These are the perils of talking to the media!” he posted on his X handle on October 1.
Modi’s attack on the Congress evoked a response from the grand old party’s allies.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “We had high hopes from the Indian Army that PoK would come under our control. But why did the Prime Minister suddenly call a ceasefire? This pain is not just ours, it is felt by every Indian.”
US President Donald Trump has claimed multiple times that he had brought about the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha accused Modi of politicising an official event.
“Modi uses every occasion, including official ones, to criticise the Opposition including the Congress party. He forgets that doing so is against the norms of our democracy. But does he care or even know these fine traditions,” Sinha said.
