Chidambaram hits back at trolls amid row over 'homegrown terrorists' remark

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday (July 28), responding to criticism from the BJP and trolling on social media over his controversial remarks during an interview questioning the evidence on the origin of the Pahalgam terrorists, said that "trolls use different tools to spread misinformation".

The former home minister in his post on X said that the worst kind of troll is one who suppresses the full recorded interview but selectively takes two sentences and mutes some words to paint the speaker in a "black colour".

He also said in another post that the full interview is on Quint, and that many of the questions asked during the interview and several others would be raised by the INDIA bloc during the debates in Parliament.

Pahalgam comment

Chidambaram had sparked a fresh political row ahead of the debate in Parliament on Operation Sindoor by questioning whether the government had evidence to prove that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack came from Pakistan and suggesting that “homegrown terrorists” could have been behind the attack.

Chidambaram raised these issues during an interview with The Quint, and said the government is not willing to disclose what the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has done after the Pahalgam attack.

“Have they identified the terrorists? Where they came from? I mean, for all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists. Why do you assume they came from Pakistan? There’s no evidence of that,” said Chidambaram.

‘Govt hiding losses’

The former home minister also accused the government of “hiding the losses” that India suffered during Operation Sindoor.

“They are also hiding the losses. I said it in a column that in a war, losses will occur on both sides. I understand that India would have suffered losses. Be upfront,” he said.

Also Read: Parliament to discuss Pahalgam, Op Sindoor today; INDIA Bloc holds floor meet

Chidambaram quoted the example of Winston Churchill who made a statement every other day during the Second World War on the losses that Britian suffered.

“Losses are inevitable and natural in a war. So, admit the losses. They think they can put a large shroud on Operation Sindoor. It won’t work,” said the Congress leader.

‘Ducking questions’

The Congress leader asked why the government was “ducking questions”.

“Why is the Prime Minister not speaking on Operation Sindoor? Why is there a reluctance to have a debate in the temple of democracy? That’s what Parliament is. After all, PM Modi has addressed the nation. He has addressed various rallies,” said Chidambaram.

Also Read: Modi and Ministers all set for Operation Sindoor offensive in Parliament

He asked if the government was uncomfortable with being asked how the ceasefire happened.

“Because let’s be honest, it was not the Indian government that announced it. It was Donald Trump,” claimed Chidambaram.

BJP hits back

BJP leader Amit Malviya retaliated with a post on X that the original proponent of the “infamous Saffron Terror theory” had covered himself in glory again.

“Once again, the Congress rushes to give a clean chit to Pakistan – this time after the Pahalgam terror attack. Why is it that every time our forces confront Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Congress leaders sound more like Islamabad’s defence lawyers than India’s opposition?” questioned Malviya.

Also Read: Trump: 'War between India, Pakistan was probably going to end up nuclear'

The BJP leader said when it comes to national security, there should be no ambiguity. But he accused the Congress of “bending over backwards” to protect the enemy.

‘Terrorists are still alive’

Congress MP Imran Masood, supporting his colleague Chidambaram’s statements, said it was the government that gave a clean chit to Pakistan by agreeing to a ceasefire.

“You stopped the forces. The terrorists are still alive. Aren’t you ashamed? If the Pahalgam killers are alive, every Indian should be ashamed,” said Masood.