April 28, 2025
NEW DELHI – At a time when the Congress party at the national-level standing with the Modi government on whatever steps it takes to deal with Pakistan in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack, an unsolicited remark of Karnataka Chief Minister S Siddaramaiah in the matter, which was heavily trolled on social media, came as an embarrassment for the party.
The Pakistani media highlighting his statement that he did not want a war with Pakistan, contrary to the national mood to avenge a spate of terrorist attacks, sparked a controversy with the BJP launching a blistering attack against him.
In the face of the adverse reactions to his remark, the chief minister backtracked on his position and sought to play down the issue offering a lame explanation that what he really meant was that “war should be the last resort”.
The chief minister said it was the responsibility of the Central government to maintain security in the strife-torn border state of Jammu and Kashmir. By then it was too late as the Pakistani media had a field day playing up Siddaramaiah’s “no need of war” rhetoric. However, he maintained that there were lapses in the security in Pahalgam that resulted in the terror attack.
Two residents of Karnataka were among the 26 killed by terrorists in the attack on April 22.
Speaking to reporters, the Karnataka Chief Minister said, “No need for war means there should be war if it is inevitable… Only if inevitable, there should be war, war cannot be a solution I did not say no to demands.”
He went on to say, “26 people were killed (in Pahalgam), 40 soldiers were killed (in Pulwama attack). So, there is a failure of intelligence. I have said that the government of India did not provide proper security. There should be war if it is inevitable, not that it should not be done at all. But, immediately, there is no need for war, this is what I have said.”