Senior Congress leader and former Home Minister, P Chidambaram, has openly criticized the Modi government for its lack of transparency in dealing with the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor. In a candid interview, he questioned why the government has withheld key information about the attackers, the progress of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the official casualty numbers. Chidambaram expressed concern that important details have been kept from the public, possibly to conceal tactical mistakes made during the operation.
Chidambaram questioned why the identities and whereabouts of the attackers remain undisclosed. He highlighted that while reports suggested the arrest of people who allegedly sheltered the terrorists, there has been no official update on their status. He pressed the government to explain why neither the Prime Minister nor the Defence Minister has made comprehensive statements, instead relying on piecemeal updates from various officials in different countries, which he argued only further muddles the public narrative.
The Congress leader speculated that the silence from top government officials could be an attempt to hide tactical errors made during Operation Sindoor. He noted a lack of clarity about the nature of these mistakes, whether they led to casualties, and what modifications were made to the strategy afterward. Chidambaram challenged the government to either admit to its mistakes and explain the changes or risk being seen as deliberately misleading the public.
Chidambaram also scrutinized the transparency of the NIA’s role in the investigation, demanding to know what progress has been made in identifying the attackers and their origins. He cautioned against assumptions about external involvement without conclusive evidence and underscored the need for full honesty, especially acknowledging the losses suffered. He noted that only through open communication can the government maintain public trust and credibility in such sensitive matters.