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New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comments on India’s response to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, saying these are not true and ‘distorted’ facts.
Sharply refuting the Prime Minister’s allegation, Chidambaram claimed in a social media post on Twitter on Thursday that the statements were misrepresented.
PM Modi, during a public address in Mumbai on Wednesday, said India was ready to retaliate militarily after the 2008 attacks, but the Congress-led UPA government stopped doing so due to pressure from a foreign country.
Citing the Prime Minister’s comments published in The Times of India, Chidambaram posted on Twitter: “I quote the words of the Honorable Prime Minister: ‘…has said that India was ready to respond after 26/11, but due to pressure from some countries, the then Congress government stopped the Indian armed forces from attacking Pakistan.’ There are three parts to the statement, and every one of them is wrong, deeply wrong. It was disappointing to read that the Honorable Prime Minister of India conceived these words and attributed them to me.”
On the inauguration day of Navi Mumbai International Airport, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing its leadership of undermining India’s national security after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Addressing a gathering, the Prime Minister described Mumbai as one of the most dynamic and vibrant cities of India, he said, which is why it became the target of a major terrorist attack.
“Mumbai’s energy and prominence made it a target. But the Congress government at that time responded with weakness – a message of surrender to terrorism,” he said.
PM Modi further referred to a recent interview given by a senior Congress leader who served as the Union Home Minister during the UPA regime.
Without naming the individual, the Prime Minister said the leader had revealed that India’s armed forces were ready to retaliate against Pakistan after the 26/11 attacks, but were stopped due to pressure from a foreign country.
PM Modi declared, “The entire country wanted a strong response. Our forces were ready. But the Congress government stopped them. Who imposed foreign pressure? Who in the Congress took this decision? The people of India deserve to know.”
He accused the Congress of compromising national sentiments and promoting terrorists through indecision and outside influence.
“This weakness cost us dearly. It strengthened the hands of terrorists and repeatedly put the lives of innocent people in danger,” he said.
Chidambaram’s reaction came a day after PM Modi cited the Congress leader’s recent interview in which he discussed the decision-making process of the UPA government after the attacks.
The Congress leader had detailed the events following the Mumbai terror attacks in a podcast earlier this month. He recalled the decision-making process within the then government and how international diplomatic pressure, particularly from the US, influenced and shaped India’s response to the situation.
During the podcast, Chidambaram recalled that he took charge as Home Minister on November 30, 2008, a day after the attacks and soon after the resignation of Shivraj Patil. He admitted that the thought of revenge had come to his mind. He said, “It came to my mind that we should retaliate. I had discussed it with the Prime Minister and other important people. When the attack was happening, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had discussed the matter, I would guess. And the conclusion was largely influenced by the Ministry of External Affairs and the IFS that we should not react physically to the situation, but we should use diplomatic means.”
Chidambaram said the decision to exercise restraint was taken under significant global pressure. He said, “This conclusion was reached when there was pressure from the world that Delhi was telling us – do not start a war.” He mentioned in the podcast that then US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had traveled to Delhi to meet him and the Prime Minister, and urged India not to retaliate militarily.
–IANS
SKTR/DPB