Last Updated:
Bhandari’s remarks came after Chidambaram commented on the need to examine the causes behind domestic radicalisation.
Congress leader P Chidambaram (PTI)
Days after the terror attack in Delhi that killed 12 people, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Congress leader P. Chidambaram of giving “cover fire” to terrorists through his remarks on home-grown extremism.
BJP spokesperson Pradip Bhandari took a sharp jibe at the former home minister, questioning Congress’s stance on terror. “Why is the Congress giving soft support and cover fire to terrorists in the Red Fort blast case?” Bhandari said.
“A terrorist is a terrorist! No circumstance justifies an act of terror.”
Bhandari’s remarks came after Chidambaram commented on the need to examine the causes behind domestic radicalisation.
Why is the Congress giving soft support and cover fire to terrorist in Red Fort Blast case!Terrorist is a terrorist!
No circumstance justifies an act of terror!
Sonia Gandhi in Batla House to P Chidambaram now, Congress choses vote bank over national interest https://t.co/4Q37RGbuC6
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) November 13, 2025
Chidambaram, referring to his past remarks made during a parliamentary debate on Operation Sindoor, said, “I have maintained before and after the Pahalgam terror attack that there are two kinds of terrorists — foreign-trained infiltrated terrorists and home-grown terrorists. I said so in Parliament during the debate on Operation Sindoor. I was mocked and trolled for the reference to home-grown terrorists.”
He added that while the government remained silent on the issue, it was aware of the existence of home-grown extremists. “The point of this tweet is we should ask ourselves what are the circumstances that turn Indian citizens, even educated persons, into terrorists,” Chidambaram said.
The exchange has sparked a fresh political row amid ongoing investigations into the Red Fort blast, which authorities have termed a terror attack.
At least 12 people were killed and over 30 injured in a powerful explosion near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on Monday evening, in what authorities have termed a terror attack. The blast, which occurred around 6:55 pm, ripped through a white Hyundai i20 car, setting several nearby vehicles on fire.
Preliminary investigations suggest the blast was caused by high-grade explosives placed inside the vehicle. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Delhi Police Special Cell are jointly probing the case under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Explosive Substances Act.
CCTV footage showed the car parked near the metro station for nearly three hours before the explosion, and investigators are now working to trace the individuals involved and determine possible links to larger terror networks.
Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, including elections and bu…Read More
Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, including elections and bu… Read More
November 13, 2025, 08:06 IST
Read More
