P Chidambaram

Nearly 525,000 dog bite cases, 28 deaths due to rabies in TN: Chidambaram

Chidambaram emphasised that dog lovers' concerns are valid, but they must also acknowledge the gravity of the situation

6.5% growth rate means India stuck in lower-middle income trap: Chidambaram

He further said that India's Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of $2,650 needs to double for it to get around the low-middle income group

Op Blue Star was mistake, Indira Gandhi paid with her life: Chidambaram

Congress leader P Chidambaram said Operation Blue Star was not the right way to capture militants holed up in the Golden Temple in 1984, due to which the then prime minister, Indira Gandhi, "paid with her life". "There was a way to retrieve and capture all militants but Operation Blue Star was the wrong way and I agree that Mrs Gandhi paid with her life for the mistake but the mistake was cumulative decision of the Army, intelligence, police and civil defence and you cannot completely blame Mrs Gandhi," the former home minister said during a book launch in Himachal Pradesh's Kasauli on Saturday. Chidambaram made the remarks during a conversation with journalist and author Harinder Baweja on her book 'They Will Shoot You Madam: My Life Through Conflict' at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival. Operation Blue Star was a military operation held between June 1-10, 1984, to remove Damdami Taksal leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the

'No involvement': MEA clarifies after women barred from Afghan FM presser

Afghan FM Amir Muttaqi held a press meet at the Afghanistan embassy in Delhi after talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, but only male journalists attended and no joint briefing was held

Terribly wrong: Chidambaram criticises PM Modi's remarks on 26/11 attacks

In a post on X, Chidambaram expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Modi misattributing the words to him

Didn't retaliate against 26/11 attacks under pressure from US: Chidambaram

Former Home Minister P Chidambaram reveals that he considered taking active retaliatory action against Pakistan after Mumbai terror attacks and discussed this with then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

Chidambaram welcomes new GST reforms but says move is '8 years too late'

In a post on X late Wednesday, the former Union finance minister said the current GST design and rates should not have been introduced in the first place

ECI abusing powers, must be fought politically, legally: Chidambaram

Amid the raging row over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday alleged that the Election Commission is trying to change the electoral character and patterns of states, and asserted that this "abuse of powers" must be fought politically and legally. The former home minister said the Bihar voter revision exercise is getting curiouser and curiouser. While 65 lakh voters are in danger of being disenfranchised in Bihar, reports of 'adding' 6.5 lakh persons as voters in Tamil Nadu is alarming and patently illegal, Chidambaram said in a post on X. "Calling them 'permanently migrated' is an insult to the migrant workers and a gross interference in the right of the electorate of Tamil Nadu to elect a government of its choice," the Rajya Sabha MP said. Why should the migrant worker not return to Bihar or his/her home state to vote in the State Assembly election, as they usually do, Chidambaram asked. "Does not the migrant

Chidambaram calls Shah's Afzal Guru execution remark 'lie, distortion'

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed as a "lie and distortion" Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks alleging delay in carrying out the death sentence for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The Congress leader's remarks came in response to Shah's statement in the Rajya Sabha that the death sentence for Guru could not be carried out for as long as Chidambaram was the home minister. In a statement, Chidambaram said, "Home Minister Mr Amit Shah made a statement in the Rajya Sabha that 'Afzal Guru could not be executed as long as P Chidambaram was Home Minister'. The statement is a mixture of insinuation, lie and distortion." After the conviction and sentence by the courts, Guru's wife filed, on his behalf, a mercy petition to the President of India in October 2006, Chidambaram said. "The President rejected the mercy petition on 3-2-2013. Afzal Guru was hanged six days later on 9-2-2013. I was Home Minister during 1-12-2008 and 31-7-2012," he said. "During the entire perio

Amit Shah slams Chidambaram for 'clean chit' to Pakistan in Pahalgam attack

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused P Chidambaram, a previous incumbent of the ministry, of giving a "clean chit" to Pakistan in the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting that it amounted to questioning India's attack on terror facilities in the country. Shah lashed out at the senior Congress leader as informed Lok Sabha during a discussion on the terror strike and Operation Sindoor that three terrorists killed by security forces in Kashmir on Monday were behind the horrific Pahalgam incident. He said the government had proof of the three being from Pakistan, including that the voter numbers of two of them. He added that they carried chocolates made in Pakistan, turning up the heat on the former home minister. The Congress leader, a Rajya Sabha member, Shah said, raised the questions when Parliament was to begin this discussion. "Whom do you want to save? What will you gain by shielding Pakistan?" In an interview, Chidambaram had raised questions on the claim that the terrorists

Congress, Chidambaram speaking Pakistan's language: Shivraj Chouhan

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday accused the Congress and its leader P Chidambaram of "speaking the same language" as used by Pakistan and claimed that the Opposition was "running away" from a discussion in Parliament on Operation Sindoor out of fear of being unmasked. Speaking to reporters inside the Parliament complex, he said when the government is ready to discuss the issue then why is the Opposition running away from it. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday amid opposition protests on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, delaying the start of the discussion on Operation Sindoor. A political row erupted on Monday over Chidambaram's reported remarks that the terrorists behind the Pahalgam could have been "homegrown". "It was their demand only that a discussion should be held on Operation Sindoor. And, when the government is ready for discussion, why is it running away from it? The entire Opposition is not letting a discussion on terror and terrorism

Opposition raises questions over ex Vice President Dhankhar's resignation

The opposition on Monday raised questions over Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden resignation as the vice president, with the Congress saying that clearly, there is "far more to his totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye". The Congress also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convince Dhankhar to change his mind. In a sudden move, Dhankhar resigned from his post on Monday evening, citing medical reasons. He has sent his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu and said he is stepping down with immediate effect. "The sudden resignation of the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is as shocking as it is inexplicable. I was with him alongside a number of other MPs till around 5 PM today and had spoken to him over the phone at 7:30 PM," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. "No doubt Mr Dhankhar has to give topmost priority to his health. But clearly there is far more to his totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye

Cong's Chidambaram calls INDIA bloc 'frayed'; BJP mocks 'picnic alliance'

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram raised doubts over the INDIA bloc's unity and future, drawing sharp reactions from BJP leaders who dismissed the alliance as weak and opportunistic

'Not sure if India bloc is still intact': Chidambaram hopes for revival

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday voiced concerns about the INDIA bloc, saying he was not sure if the opposition alliance was still intact. Speaking at the launch of Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav's book "Contesting Democratic Deficit", Chidambaram also said he felt that it showed at the seams that the alliance was frayed. "The future (of INDIA bloc) is not so bright, as Mritunjay Singh Yadav said. He seems to feel that the alliance is still intact, but I am not sure. It is only Salman (Khurshid) who can answer because he was part of the negotiating team for the INDIA bloc. If the alliance is totally intact, I will be very happy. But it shows at the seams that it is frayed," Chidambaram, a Rajya Sabha MP, said. He also hoped that the alliance can "still be put together, there's still time". The former Union finance minister warned that the INDIA bloc was fighting against a "formidable machinery", which must be fought on all fronts. "In my experience and m

Congress will support govt action: Chidambaram after Pahalgam terror attack

When asked about whether restoration of statehood would improve the security situation in the Union Territory, the former union home minister said that it is a separate issue but absolutely necessary

Congress claims credit for Tahawwur Rana extradition: 'UPA-era groundwork'

P Chidambaram says Tahawwur Rana's extradition is result of UPA-era diplomacy, slams Modi govt for taking credit for process initiated in 2009 after 26/11 attack

'Laboured and tortuous': Chidambaram on Sitharaman's explanation on capex

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave a "tortuous" explanation to his question about capital expenditure and asserted that the numbers "conclusively" proved that there was a "cut" in capex during 2024-25. Chidambaram said this in a statement late this evening while responding to the answers given by Sitharaman in the Rajya Sabha. The former finance minister said Sitharaman has given a "laboured and tortuous" explanation to a simple question on what was the budget estimate for capital expenditure in the 2024-25 budget and what is the estimate at the end of year. "There is a reduction (cut), and I asked in the Rajya Sabha what are the reasons for the cut? FM could have listed the reasons and it is for the people to decide whether the reasons are acceptable or not. "Instead, she has questioned the very comparison of BE and RE. I am astonished that the Hon'ble FM should say that comparison of BE and RE is 'flawed'. If BE and RE ar

Southern states will lose 26 seats in LS after delimitation: Chidambaram

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has called for a joint effort from various political parties to raise their voices against Delimitation, calling for a Joint Action Committee meeting on March 22

A test for Indian diplomacy: Chidambaram on 2nd round of deportees from US

Earlier, Chidambaram had alleged that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) 'crumbled badly' in handling the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States.

BJP chief Nadda slams Opposition over deportation row of Indians from US

Congress leader Chidambaram questioned if Jaishankar raised or protested the US deportation SOP with Marco Rubio, given its restrictive measures and long-standing implementation