26/11 Retaliation Nixed Due to US Pressure, MEA Stance: P. Chidambaram

NEW DELHI:Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has revealed that the then UPA government decided against military retaliation following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks largely due to international pressure, particularly from the United States, and the firm stand taken by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The Congress veteran admitted that although "retribution crossed my mind," the government ultimately chose not to take military action against Pakistan.

In an interview with a news channel, Chidambaram recalled the intense international scrutiny India faced immediately after the attacks. "The whole world descended upon Delhi to tell us ‘don’t start a war’," he stated. He detailed the reaction of the global community following the assault that claimed over 160 lives, including foreigners.

"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’," Chidambaram disclosed. "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."

Internal Discussions and MEA Influence

Explaining the internal deliberations following the terror strike, Chidambaram confirmed discussing possible retaliation with the prime minister and "other people who mattered." He recalled that the prime minister had initiated this discussion even while the attack was underway.

"And the conclusion was, largely influenced by the Ministry of External Affairs, and the IFS, that we should not physically react to the situation," he stated, attributing the non-retaliation stance primarily to diplomatic considerations.

The nation faced one of its worst security crises on November 26, 2008, when 10 Pakistani terrorists held Mumbai hostage, executing coordinated attacks on iconic landmarks like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel, and the Oberoi Trident. A total of 166 people were killed before security forces neutralized the terrorists on November 29.

Reluctance Over Home Ministry Shift

Chidambaram was handed the Home Ministry portfolio after the then incumbent Shivraj Patil resigned, taking moral responsibility for the security lapse. The veteran leader, however, admitted he was initially reluctant to leave the Finance Ministry.

"I got a call from the prime minister who communicated that there was a collective decision (by the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh) to shift me to the home ministry," he recalled. "I did not want to exit the Finance Ministry as I had presented five Budgets and election was due in a year’s time."

BJP Calls Admission "Too Little, Too Late"

Chidambaram’s admission was met with sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which termed the disclosure "too little, too late."

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi asserted that the country was already aware that the Mumbai attacks were "mishandled due to pressure from foreign powers." The BJP has consistently cited the UPA’s response to the 2008 attacks as evidence of a weak approach to national security, often contrasting it with assertive actions taken under the current NDA government, such as the 2016 Surgical Strikes and the 2019 Balakot Air Strike.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala alleged that Chidambaram was initially hesitant to assume charge as Home Minister but wanted military action against Pakistan, yet "others prevailed."

Another BJP spokesperson, Sudhanshu Trivedi, called the comments "worrying." He added: "This makes it clear what their inclination was regarding dealing with Pakistan." Trivedi also drew attention to the joint declaration signed with Pakistan in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in July 2009, just nine months after 26/11, where Balochistan was mentioned. "This means, in a way, they were ready to accept that falsehood as well," he concluded, stating that the Congress and the INDIA grouping consistently "pave the way for Pakistan."