No evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in Pahalgam attack: Ex-Indian minister

New Delhi (Web Desk): Former Indian home minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has rejected the Modi government’s allegations that Pakistan was involved in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

In an interview, Chidambaram asserted that there is no evidence to prove Pakistan’s involvement. Instead, he claimed that the attackers were Indian nationals who had received terrorist training within India itself.

Questioning the government’s assumptions, Chidambaram asked how authorities could conclusively label the attackers as Pakistani without concrete proof or verified citizenship documentation. “The truth is that the individuals responsible for this attack are Indian citizens,” he said.

Chidambaram’s remarks, during a heated parliamentary debate on the so-called “Operation Sundor,” sparked a strong reaction from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members in Parliament, who criticized him for seemingly giving Pakistan a clean chit.

The BJP legislators reiterated the government’s stance that the attackers had come from Pakistan, maintaining their narrative despite Chidambaram’s challenge.

The Pahalgam attack, which took place in the well-known tourist spot in Indian-administered Kashmir, resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians.

Pakistan condemned the attack while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had offered full cooperation for transparent investigations. However, the Modi government rejected this offer.

This is not the first time Chidambaram has criticized the Modi administration’s policies. Recently, he condemned the Indian government’s silence over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, lamenting that “humanity is shamed in Gaza.”

Referencing United Nations (UN) statistics, he pointed out that since May, over a thousand Palestinians, including large numbers of women and children, have died while searching for food.

Chidambaram highlighted the distressing images of starving children in refugee camps, which he said should jolt the conscience of the world. Yet, he lamented, the international community remains a silent spectator to the unfolding tragedy.

The clash between Chidambaram and BJP representatives underscores the continuing political tensions surrounding terrorism, national security, and foreign relations.