Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has raised doubts over the Indian government’s claims regarding the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, stating that no evidence has been presented so far to show where the attackers came from.
In an interview with Indian publication The Quint, Chidambaram was asked what he believes the government might be attempting to conceal. He responded that, in his view, the government could be hiding strategic missteps made during the conflict — something the Chief of Defence Staff had also subtly acknowledged. “What were those strategic mistakes, and what new strategy was adopted afterward?” he questioned.
Chidambaram also criticized the government’s lack of transparency around the findings of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). “Why hasn’t the NIA report been made public? What did the agency uncover in its investigation? Were the terrorists identified? And where did they come from?” he asked.
He went on to suggest that the attackers may have been local, saying, “Why are we assuming they came from Pakistan?”
He emphasized that there is no concrete evidence linking the attackers to Pakistan, and further alleged that the government is concealing information about Indian casualties.
“In a recent column, I wrote that losses occur on both sides in war. It’s likely India also suffered, so why not disclose the full picture?”
Chidambaram’s remarks drew sharp criticism from the ruling BJP. Union Minister Anurag Thakur stated, “When it comes to Pakistan and terrorism, even Pakistan doesn’t defend itself as much as Congress does — the same Congress controlled by Rahul Gandhi.”
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also responded, saying, “We don’t need proof — we’ve experienced the damage firsthand.” She accused Pakistan of being behind the attack, adding, “This is yet another example of Pakistan’s malicious actions — a country that has failed to develop itself and refuses to let others progress either.
