New Delhi, India – July 28, 2025 – A political storm has erupted in India over comments made by senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram regarding the origin of the terrorists responsible for the deadly Pahalgam attack. BJP MP Santosh Pandey from Rajnandgaon on Monday launched a scathing attack on Chidambaram, comparing him to an “owl that sees only in the dark,” implying the former Home Minister is deliberately ignoring the reality of cross-border terrorism.
“Just like an owl can see only in the darkness of night but is blind in daylight, Chidambaram is the same way,” Pandey told reporters, delivering a sharp critique of the Congress veteran’s political judgment and his stance on the recent terror incident.
These heated remarks come as a precursor to a planned discussion in Parliament on “Operation Sindoor,” India’s counter-response following the brutal terror attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. The attack tragically claimed the lives of 26 people.
Earlier in the day, BJP MP Anurag Thakur also criticized the Congress vehemently, stating, “Whenever it’s about Pakistan and terror, even Pakistan doesn’t advocate for itself as much as Rahul-occupied Congress does. What is the compulsion that Congress has to take Pakistan’s side? Such a statement, coming from a former Home Minister, reveals the mentality of the Congress.”
Chidambaram’s Questions on Pahalgam Attack and Operation Sindoor
The controversy stems from Chidambaram’s questioning of the government’s narrative surrounding the Pahalgam attack. In an interview with The Quint news outlet on July 27, Chidambaram suggested that the terrorists involved could be “homegrown” and demanded evidence to prove their origin from Pakistan. He also criticized the government for its lack of transparency and for not disclosing sufficient details about “Operation Sindoor,” India’s retaliatory military action.
“Where are the terrorist attackers? Why have you not apprehended them? Why have you not even identified them? Suddenly, a news item emerges that we have arrested two or three people who gave them shelter. Now what happened to that?” Chidambaram queried, pressing the government for more information on the investigation.
The Congress leader, who served as Home Minister during the UPA tenure, further stated that the government was “unwilling to disclose what the NIA has done all these weeks. Have they identified the terrorists, and where did they come from? I mean, for all we know, they could be homegrown terrorists. Why do you assume that they came from Pakistan? There’s no evidence of that. They are also hiding the losses.” His comments imply a potential cover-up of tactical errors or casualties on the Indian side during the operation.
Parliamentary Proceedings Halted Amid Opposition Protests
Meanwhile, the Indian Parliament’s proceedings were marred by disruptions on Monday. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned amid a ruckus and sloganeering by opposition MPs, who demanded discussions on various issues, including “Operation Sindoor” and the ongoing voter list revision exercise in Bihar.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla initially adjourned the lower house until noon (then later till 2 pm) amidst protests. Opposition members, holding banners, entered the well of the house and continued sloganeering during Question Hour. Before the adjournment, Speaker Birla criticized the opposition, stating that members were “deliberately disturbing the proceedings of the house.” He also urged Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi to instruct his party members not to display posters, emphasizing that MPs were not sent to Parliament for such purposes and that these protests were “lowering the dignity of the house.”
Birla specifically challenged the opposition’s stance on “Operation Sindoor,” reminding them that a discussion on the matter had been agreed upon in an all-party meeting. “Respected members, do you want to obstruct the house? Do you not want to discuss Operation Sindoor? Both Gogoi and people from the government had come (for an all-party meeting), you said to do a discussion on Operation Sindoor, now you are interrupting the house. Question hour is the members’ most important time,” he stated before adjourning the session. The Rajya Sabha also faced similar disruptions and was adjourned until 2 pm.
The political sparring over the Pahalgam attack and “Operation Sindoor” is expected to intensify as Parliament’s Monsoon Session continues, with the government determined to showcase its decisive response and the opposition demanding greater transparency and accountability.