By Chanshimla Varah | Sep 30, 2025, 11:05 am
**What’s the story**
Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has admitted that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government chose not to retaliate against Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks due to pressure from the international community, including the United States.
“The whole world descended upon Delhi to tell us ‘don’t start a war’,” Chidambaram, who took over as the Union Home Minister just days after the terror attacks, told a Hindi news channel.
**Remarks**
**”It did cross my mind for some act of retribution”**
“Condoleezza Rice, who was then US Secretary of State, flew in two or three days after I took over, to meet me and the Prime Minister and to say, ‘please don’t react.’ I said this is a decision that the government will take,” he said.
“Without disclosing any official secret, it did cross my mind that we should do some act of retribution,” he admitted.
**Conclusion largely influenced by MHA, IFS**
Chidambaram went on to explain that he discussed potential reprisal with the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and “other people who mattered.” The Prime Minister had even discussed this while the attack was ongoing.
The conclusion, largely influenced by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), was that India should not physically react to the situation, he recalled.
**Political fallout**
**BJP leaders react sharply to Chidambaram’s statement**
Chidambaram’s admission has invited sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said it was an acknowledgment that the Mumbai attacks were “mishandled due to pressure from foreign powers.”
After 17 years, Chidambaram, former Home Minister, admits what the nation knew — 26/11 was mishandled due to pressure from foreign powers. Too little, too late,” Joshi added.
**Policy critique**
**Questions raised about Congress leaders’ role in decision**
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala alleged that Chidambaram was initially hesitant to take over as Home Minister after the attacks and wanted military action against Pakistan but was stopped by others.
He also questioned if senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi influenced the decision not to retaliate, asking, “Why was UPA taking orders from her? Why did Sonia Gandhi prevail over the Home Minister?”
**Response comparison**
**BJP contrasts UPA’s response with its own actions against terror**
The BJP has often cited India’s response after the Mumbai attacks as an example of the UPA’s weakness in foreign policy and security matters.
It contrasts the UPA’s response to the Mumbai attacks with its own strong actions against terror, such as the surgical strikes in 2016 and the Balakot airstrike in 2019.
**Background**
The Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008, carried out by Pakistani terrorists, left 175 people dead. One of the terrorists, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and executed in 2012.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/politics/us-stopped-us-chidambaram-s-makes-big-26-11-admission-bjp-responds/story