‘Clean Chit To Pakistan’: BJP Slams Chidambaram’s ‘Homegrown' Remark On Pahalgam Terrorists

Last Updated:July 28, 2025, 11:13 IST

Referring to Chidambaram’s statement in an interview with The Quint, the BJP highlighted what it called a pattern of the Congress siding with hostile narratives

Congress leader P Chidambaram (Image: PTI)

The BJP on Monday launched a scathing attack on former Home Minister P. Chidambaram over his remarks on the Pahalgam terror attack, accusing the Congress leader of once again offering a “clean chit to Pakistan" and undermining national security.

Referring to Chidambaram’s statement in an interview with The Quint, the BJP highlighted what it called a pattern of the Congress siding with hostile narratives. Chidambaram had said: “Have they (NIA) identified the terrorists or where they came from? For all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists. Why do you assume they came from Pakistan? There is no evidence of that."

Hitting back, BJP leaders questioned why senior Congress figures appear to echo Pakistan’s defence every time Indian security forces are targeted. “Once again, the Congress rushes to give a clean chit to Pakistan, this time after the Pahalgam terror attack," the BJP leader Amit Malviya said in a post on X, adding, “Why is it that every time our forces confront Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Congress leaders sound more like Islamabad’s defence lawyers than India’s opposition?"

Chidambaram, often linked to the controversial “Saffron Terror" narrative during his tenure in the UPA era, has frequently faced criticism from the BJP for his stance on internal security.

“When it comes to national security, there should be no ambiguity. But with the Congress, there never is — they always bend over backwards to protect the enemy," the BJP leader added.

Addressing Chidambaram’s remarks on Operation Sindoor, BJP MP Anurag Thakur launched a sharp attack: “Whenever it’s about Pakistan and terror, even Pakistan doesn’t advocate for itself as much as Rahul-occupied Congress does. What is the compulsion that Congress has to take Pakistan’s side?… Such a statement, coming from a former Home Minister, reveals the mentality of the Congress…"

When asked what he believed the government was trying to conceal, Chidambaram said, “I think, and this is speculation, I think they are hiding the fact that we made tactical mistakes (during Operation Sindoor), and we re-strategised… The CDS hinted at that. What tactical mistakes were made? What was the re-strategising? Either the BJP government is incompetent to answer these questions, or it is unwilling to do so."

He also raised doubts over the Investigation Agency’s role in the probe, questioning the lack of transparency. “They are unwilling to disclose what the NIA has done all these weeks. Have they identified the terrorists, where they came from?" he said.

Other BJP leaders also reacted to Chidambaram’s comments. BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana said: “People ask such questions when they are politically demoralised… We may disagree amongst ourselves, but we should not criticise it…"

AAP MP Sanjay Singh, however, offered a more cautious response, stating, “Chidambaram may know what he is saying. The government has said that they were Pakistani terrorists. Pakistan has a history of spreading terrorism in India… All the terror attacks in India are backed by Pakistan. I cannot say what Chidambaram’s source of information is…"

The remarks by Chidambaram come just ahead of a 32-hour debate scheduled in both houses of the Parliament, where the Opposition plans to corner the government with questions on Operation Sindoor.

News politics ‘Clean Chit To Pakistan’: BJP Slams Chidambaram’s ‘Homegrown' Remark On Pahalgam Terrorists