Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the Voter IDs, choclate wrappers seized from the slain terrorists were of made in Pakistan. He was responding to Congress leader P Chidambaram’s question over the the origin of the terrorists killed in the recent Operation Sindoor in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
Speaking in Lok Sabha during monson session, Shah said the Centre had gathered concrete evidence that confirmed the militants were from Pakistan. He added that the proof included Pakistani voter ID numbers and wrappers of chocolate made in Pakistan found on the slain militants.
Slamming Chidambaram directly, Shah added, “Pakistan ko bacha kar aapko kya milega? (What will you achieve from saving Pakistan?).” Follow Parliament session live.
The home minister said, “Yesterday they (Congress) were asking us where the terrorists came from and who was responsible for it. Of course, it is our responsibility as we are in power. Yesterday, former home minister Chidambaram ji raised the question — what is the proof that the terrorists came from Pakistan? I want to ask him what he will get by saving Pakistan. When he says this, it means they are giving a clean chit to Pakistan…” Shah told the House.
The remarks came as he confirmed the killing of three Pahalgam terrorists — Suleman, Afghan and Jibran — in the Operation Mahadev on Monday. He said the operation was executed based on precise intelligence.
What did P Chidambaram say
Chidambaram’s statements triggered political controversy ahead of the parliamentary discussion on Operation Sindoor —India’s counter-response to the brutal killing of 26 civilians in Baisaran valley.
In a July 27 interview with The Quint, the Congress leader suggested that the terrorists could be “homegrown” and asked for evidence linking them to Pakistan.
He also criticised the Centre for a lack of transparency over the operation. “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 asked.
