Congress MP Manish Tewari backs Chidambaram's 26/11 remarks amid BJP criticism: 'Cannot be disregarded'

Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari (Courtesy: PTI file photo)

Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari said that former Union minister P Chidambaram's remarks on international diplomatic pressure shaping India's action post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks cannot be "disregarded".

"The official position of the Congress after two-and-a-half days of the attacks was that we must respond kinetically. It was articulated by me from the AICC podium. Subsequently, there was a CWC meeting on November 30, where then Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil was asked to go (resign) and Chidambaram was asked to take over. In their books, (former foreign secretary) Shivshankar Menon and (former National Security Advisor) MK Narayanan have written as to why they chose to forsake coercive action," Tewari told The Indian Express.

The Congress MP added that "under those circumstances, what seems to emerge from the writings was that the coercive option was abandoned for diplomatic options after considering all options".

What Chidambaram said on 'international pressure'?

Chidambaram, then Home Minister, recently revealed that the UPA government chose not to retaliate against Pakistan after the 26/11 attacks, citing international pressure - particularly from US - and the stance of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He took charge as Home Minister just days after the 26/11 attacks.

"The whole world descended upon Delhi to tell us 'don't start a war'. For example, 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 (Dr. Manmohan Singh) ... And to say, 'please don't react'," he told ABP News.

Chidambaram also acknowledged that the thought of retaliation had crossed his mind. "It did cross my mind that we should do some act of retribution. I discussed it with the Prime Minister and other people who mattered ... The conclusion was largely influenced by the MEA and the IFS that we should not physically react to the situation, but employ diplomatic means," he said in the interview.

Perils of talking to media: Chidambaram after BJP attack

Earlier this week, Chidambaram expressed frustration over being misquoted by the media regarding his comments on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He claimed that his words were twisted, and media outlets attributed a statement to him that he never made - "US stopped us from retaliating after the 26/11 attack."

Clarifying that he never made such a statement, Chidambaram posted on X, "In no part of the interview to Megha Prasad's podcast did I say that 'US stopped us from retaliating after the 26/11 attack. Yet, channel after channel and the media and the Twitterati are merrily attributing words to me. These are the perils of talking to the media!"

How BJP reacted to Chidambaram's remarks

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasa labelled the UPA government a "weak government" following Chidambaram's revelation that India had considered military retaliation after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks but chose not to do so.

"Home Minister in Dr. Manmohan Singh's government, P Chidambaram has now admitted, after 16 years, that after the brutal 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, he was in favour of taking action against Pakistan, but the External Affairs Department at that time stopped him, and Manmohan Singh remained silent. What a weak government it was; Indians were killed."