Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday told ABP News in an interview that some retributive action against Pakistan had crossed his mind after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks but it was set aside in favour of diplomatic measures.

Chidambaram had become the Union home minister three days after the attacks began on November 26, 2008.

“I did discuss it with the prime minister [Manmohan Singh] and other people who matter,” Chidambaram said. “The conclusion was largely influenced by the MEA [Ministry of External Affairs] and the IFS [Indian Foreign Service] that we should not physically react to the situation. But we should employ diplomatic means.”

He added that after the attacks, “the whole world descended upon Delhi to tell us don’t start a war”.

Chidambaram said that Condoleezza Rice, the United States secretary of state at the time, visited New Delhi soon after he assumed charge.

“Condoleeza Rice…flew in…to meet me and the prime minister and to say ‘please don’t react’,” he told the news channel. “I said this is a decision that the government will take.”

On November 26, 2008, ten attackers linked to the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba traveled by sea from Pakistan to Mumbai, targeting several locations across the city. The attacks left 166 persons dead, including 26 foreign nationals. About 300 persons were injured.

When asked whether the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government had gone “soft on terror”, referring to Operation Sindoor launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in April, Chidambaram replied, “Don’t compare 2008 with 2025.”

“[In] 17 years, several things have happened…the preparedness of our defence forces, position of intelligence assets was very different in 2008,” he said. “We had to rebuild our assets and preparedness, which we did.”

He added: “No, [the government] was not soft on terror, we did not retaliate for reasons.”

The terror attack at Baisaran near Pahalgam town in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 left 26 persons dead and 16 injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those killed were Hindu.

In response, the Indian military carried out strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Pakistan Army retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 22 Indian civilians and eight defence personnel were killed in the shelling.

India and Pakistan on May 10 reached an “understanding” to halt firing following the four-day conflict.

Why was UPA taking orders from US official, asks BJP

Chidambaram’s remarks drew criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Union minister Pralhad Joshi said the comments confirmed what India already knew, that the Mumbai attacks had been “mishandled due to pressure from foreign powers”.

BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Chidambaram was initially reluctant to take charge as the Union home minister, had wanted military action against Pakistan, but “others prevailed”.

He questioned whether Singh or Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had blocked the move.

Poonawalla also alleged that the United Progressive Alliance government appeared to act under the influence of Rice.

“Why was UPA taking orders from her?” he asked.

Also read: Insider account: Why India didn’t attack Pakistan after 26/11

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