ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI – Senior Congress leader and former Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram has strongly criticized the Modi-led BJP government for its lack of transparency regarding the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor, raising questions about the origin of the attackers and the government’s accountability.
In an interview with The Quint, Chidambaram accused the Indian government of withholding critical details, including the identities of the terrorists and the progress of the investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
“There’s no evidence that the attackers came from Pakistan. For all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists,” he remarked, challenging the narrative being pushed by some Indian officials.
The April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists. Chidambaram highlighted the government’s reluctance to disclose casualties and questioned the credibility of updates coming from scattered sources like military officers abroad rather than India’s senior political leadership.
He speculated that the silence may be due to tactical failures during Operation Sindoor. “They either lack the competence or are deliberately avoiding the truth,” he said, pressing for clarity on how India responded to the attack and what mistakes were made.
Chidambaram also expressed frustration over the NIA’s silence. “What has the NIA done all these weeks? Have they even identified the terrorists? Why haven’t they informed the public?” he asked.
Earlier reports had suggested the Indian government admitted to a security lapse in Pahalgam. Following the attack, a brief military conflict erupted between India and Pakistan in May. Pakistan responded with Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, claiming to have downed six Indian jets, including three Rafales, and multiple drones. The conflict ended on May 10 after a US-brokered ceasefire.
Pakistan credited Donald Trump for mediating the truce and even nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, although India refuted Trump’s claims of direct intervention.
