Daijiworld Media Network -New Delhi

New Delhi, May 29: In a sharp political offensive, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has levelled serious allegations against the Congress-led UPA government, accusing it of opting for inaction in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, despite reportedly having an opportunity to target the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) headquarters in Muridke, Pakistan.

The charges were amplified by BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, who referred to the memoir Choices: Inside the Making of India’s Foreign Policy by former foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon. Citing the book, Bhandari claimed that top UPA leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, failed to authorise military retaliation despite being presented with viable strike options.

According to Menon’s account, detailed internal discussions followed the 2008 attacks, with National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and military chiefs reviewing multiple response strategies. Then External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was reportedly in favour of striking LeT camps, especially in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or Muridke.

“I urged both External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that we should retaliate, and be seen to retaliate... My preference was for overt action,” Menon wrote, as cited by Bhandari.

Calling the UPA’s reluctance to act a “betrayal of national sentiment”, Bhandari accused the Congress of repeatedly compromising on India’s security interests. “Despite Pranab Mukherjee’s insistence, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s UPA chose inaction,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the incident reflected a broader pattern of “softness” towards Pakistan.

Bhandari also raked up past instances to bolster his argument, alleging that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had once offered to share nuclear technology with Pakistan following India’s 1974 nuclear test. He further criticised Rajiv Gandhi’s stance on nuclear disarmament, and alleged that Jawaharlal Nehru blocked India’s early entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

“The Gandhi-Vadra family’s legacy, from Nehru to Rahul, has been one of serial compromises on national security,” Bhandari declared, claiming a consistent pattern of weakened strategic posture under Congress regimes.

At the time of reporting, the Congress party had not issued a formal response to the BJP’s allegations.

As political temperatures rise, the issue is likely to trigger fresh debates on India’s counter-terror policies and the historical handling of national security by successive governments.