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Former Home Minister P Chidambaram said he wanted to take retaliatory action against Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, but he was convinced against it.
Speaking on an ABP News Podcast, Chidambaram said that he considered taking active retaliatory action against Pakistan and discussed this with then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other key officials. However, the government at that time decided not to carry out any military action.
US advised against taking action
Chidambaram further said that there was global pressure at the time, especially from the United States (US). US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited India after the attacks and urged the government not to take action against Pakistan. Several officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Foreign Service had also suggested a diplomatic solution, he said.
According to news agency ANI, Chidambaram also recalled how he took charge as Home Minister just days after the attack, following the resignation of Shivaj Patil. He said Singh had called to move him from the Finance Ministry to the Home Ministry. When he initially refused, he was told that Sonia Gandhi, then Congress president, had already made the decision.
Transition to Home Minister
Chidambaram said he was reluctant to leave the Finance Ministry. However, Manmohan Singh indicated that the party needed to proceed with the decision, and Chidambaram agreed to move.
Admitting his lack of familiarity with India’s security infrastructure at the time, Chidambaram said, “I went in blank,” acknowledging he was unaware of the intelligence assets in Pakistan and neighbouring regions. He revealed that the thought of India mounting retribution crossed his mind, which he took directly to the Prime Minister and top officials.
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