NEW DELHI: Former Union home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday refuted claims that the United States prevented India from taking military action against Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, saying he was misquoted by the media.In a social media post on X, Chidambaram said, “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!” he added.This comes a day after the former Union home minister recounted that he was inclined towards retaliatory action against Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks but was ultimately persuaded against it.Chidambaram had said that the decision making process of Manmohan Singh-led government’s stance was shaped by international diplomatic pressure , particularly from the United States.”It did cross my mind that we should do some act of retribution. I did discuss it with the Prime Minister and other people who mattered. The PM had discussed this matter when the attack was going on, I can surmise. And the conclusion was largely influenced by the MEA and the IFS that we should not physically react to the situation, but we should employ diplomatic means,” he said. “The conclusion was reached amid pressure from the world that was descending upon Delhi to tell us that don’t start a war,” he said. He specifically mentioned that then US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had travelled to New Delhi to meet him and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging India not to retaliate militarily.The revelation, triggered a controversy as BJP accusing the Congress of “mishandling” the situation under foreign pressure.Reacting to Chidambaram’s statements made during an interview, union minister Pralhad Joshi posted on X, “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.”
