<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has stirred a political storm with his recent revelation that the UPA government decided against a military retaliation after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks due to intense international pressure<\/em> and advice from the Ministry of External Affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chidambaram, who took charge as Home Minister just days after the 26\/11 attacks, said that although the idea of retaliation did cross his mind, the decision was heavily influenced by interventions from global powers and India\u2019s diplomatic corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He disclosed that then U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice flew to New Delhi within three days of the attack and personally urged Indian leadership to exercise restraint. \u201cThe entire world descended on Delhi, saying, \u2018Please don\u2019t react,\u2019\u201d Chidambaram remarked, adding that India\u2019s Foreign Service officials also strongly cautioned against military action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to him, senior political leadership, including the Prime Minister and others \u201cwho mattered,\u201d were also part of the decision-making process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The revelation has triggered sharp reactions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Security analysts note that while international diplomatic pressure after 26\/11 was immense \u2014 particularly from the U.S., given its reliance on Pakistan during the \u201cWar on Terror\u201d \u2014 the decision not to retaliate militarily remains one of the most debated chapters in India\u2019s counter-terrorism history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chidambaram\u2019s remarks have reopened old wounds for many survivors and families of the 166 people killed in the Mumbai attacks, and have reignited the political debate over whether India\u2019s response at the time was adequate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has stirred a political storm with his recent revelation that the UPA government decided against a military retaliation after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks due to intense international pressure and advice from the Ministry of External Affairs. Chidambaram, who took charge as Home Minister just days after the 26\/11…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6545,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[170],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-delhi-delhi"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"