Chidambaram Questions Government's Ceasefire Decision After Successful Operation Sindoor Against Pakistan

During a special discussion on Operation Sindoor, Congress leader P Chidambaram criticised the government for agreeing to a ceasefire with Pakistan. He questioned why India chose this path despite the operation's success. Chidambaram praised the military's leadership but expressed uncertainty about whether the operation was decisive, stating, "only time will tell."

Chidambaram highlighted that India had inflicted severe damage on 11 Pakistani military airbases. Despite this, he questioned the rationale behind agreeing to a ceasefire. He emphasised that India is no longer facing a single-front or two-front war, as Pakistan and China now represent fused fronts.

Concerns Over Fused Front War

The Congress leader asked if the government had strategies to handle a potential war involving Pakistan, China, and other players. He noted that while global condemnation of terrorism followed the Pahalgam attack, no country explicitly named Pakistan as responsible.

Chidambaram pointed out that both Pakistan-exported terrorists and homegrown ones often collaborate. He cited past attacks in India, such as the 2006 Mumbai attack by local terrorists and the 2008 attack by Pakistani infiltrators.

Historical Context and Military Leadership

Reflecting on history, Chidambaram compared Operation Sindoor to the 1971 Indo-Pak War. He noted that the latter ended with a decisive victory for India when General Niyazi surrendered along with 93,000 soldiers. In contrast, Operation Sindoor concluded with a ceasefire.

The former minister commended India's military leadership for its transparency and forthrightness. He mentioned that after admitting tactical mistakes, military leaders regrouped to re-strategise.

Government's Response and International Relations

Chidambaram criticised the government for not acknowledging security and intelligence failures. He also accused it of excluding Parliament and opposition from discussions. He further criticised the government's handling of international relations, particularly with the US.

He mentioned US President Donald Trump's claim of stopping an India-Pakistan war. Chidambaram believed the Indian Prime Minister should have publicly rebutted Trump’s statement but noted there was no protest or written note.

Chidambaram also highlighted issues like deportation of illegal Indians from the US in chains and steep tariffs on Indian exports without any protest from India. He noted that even when the US supported an IMF loan to Pakistan, there was no response from India.

The Congress leader stressed that terrorism in India involves both infiltrated and homegrown elements. He argued against claims that the terrorist ecosystem has been dismantled, citing various attacks over the years as evidence.

With inputs from PTI