Second Thoughts on 26/11

Congress leader P Chidambaram’s remarks that a retaliatory strike against Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks did not happen due to foreign pressure and differing views of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reopened the discussion on the UPA government’s confused response to the outrage that shook the nation. Chidambaram, who held finance and home portfolios during the UPA tenure (though not simultaneously), is the second senior figure in the Manmohan Singh government to speak of how a strike on Pakistan was ruled out.

 Previously, former NSA Shivshankar Menon had written in a book that UPA missed out on hitting back at Pakistan despite irrefutable evidence of its involvement in the attack on Mumbai. The suggestion that MEA and the foreign service were not on board could be a hint towards the late Pranab Mukherjee with whom Chidambaram had a testy relationship. But the final call was that of Manmohan Singh as prime minister and most accounts indicate he was reluctant to sanction the use of force. He cut a cautious figure during meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Security when then Air Force chief Fali Major presented a bold plan to target dozens of military sites in Pakistan. It has been said that India’s military preparedness

was not “adequate” and a diplomatic blitz was considered a better option. There might be merit in the argument but the main issue was a lack of political will. India’s military capabilities have grown since the 2016 surgical strikes but Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clear directions to the armed forces to inflict punishment on Pakistan is what mattered in the end.

 Asia Cup Trophy Will Come

  Having lost three matches on the trot to India during the Asia Cup, the Pakistan cricket team is facing a strong blowback at home despite the ‘denial’ of the trophy. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav made it clear that the decision not to shake hands and the refusal to accept the trophy from Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi— who is Asian Cricket Council chairman—were based on the unanimous view of the team. Naqvi’s penchant for anti-India statements only added to the team’s resolve. Naqvi went off with the trophy but his attempts to ‘steal’ it are unlikely to amount to much. Sooner or later, the trophy will grace the shelves at BCCI’s Mumbai office.

  I.N.D.I.A. Fights Its Own

Congress’ refusal to endorse RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s chief ministerial candidate despite the ally being the senior partner is intriguing. In the 2020 election, Congress severely underperformed, winning just 19 of 70 seats it contested. RJD leaders grumbled over seats allocated to Congress as the latter could not pull its weight. But Congress is keen to highlight the role of Rahul Gandhi and what it feels is a potentially match-winning campaign centred on “vote chori” and alleged deletion of voters. However, the disunity hurt I.N.D.I.A. allies and if things go south, Rahul will not be around to shoulder the blame.

 Tharoor as Selector

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor waded into India’s cricket selection, batting for Kerala’S Sanju Samson as opener in white-ball cricket instead Shubman Gill, arguing that the wicket keeperbatsman is best suited for the role. Tharoor has asked if Gill has done enough to justify the opening slot. While the Thiruvananthapuram MP seems to have a ‘Kerala’ angle in mind, Gill is seen as the likely captain for India’s ODI teams after being made test skipper. The inclusion of Gill and Samson was one of the reasons Mumbai’s Shreyas Iyer couldn’t make it to the Asia Cup squad.

Germany Calling

 The H-1B restrictions announced by US President Donald Trump have made some European nations sense an opportunity to attract India’s skilled tech workers. German Ambassador Philipp Ackerman posted a call on X, saying Germany stands out for its stable migration policies and jobs in IT, management, technology and science. Without mentioning the H-1B controversy, Ackerman indicated Germany might be a more welcoming place for Indian talent and students.

Steady Hands in Delhi

In the selection of the Delhi chief secretary, with incumbent Dharmendra’s term nearing conclusion, the choice of Rajeev Verma is seen as important in the light of his experience as finance and revenue secretary under the previous Arvind Kejriwal government. He is presumably well aware of the fiscal and other governance challenges. BJP hopes to maximise the utility of a “triple engine” government as it controls the levers at the Centre, state and municipal levels. With a relatively inexperienced chief minister at the helm, Verma has a key role in coordinating with the Centre.

  A Protocol to Prevent Tragedies

The BJP team led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited Karur in Tamil Nadu where a stampede at a political rally organised by actor Vijay’s newly launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK ) was overwhelmed by the grief and despair among the next of kin of 41 people who lost their lives. The minister stressed the need for states and district administrations to clearly lay out guidelines for managing political rallies. The Tamil Nadu police have booked TVK functionaries, but allowing the crowd to build up in narrow streets does not reflect well on the cops and seniors who should have supervised arrangements.