Union Minister Pralhad Joshi slams Chidamabaram remarks on Tahawwur Rana extradition

BENGALURU: After former Union Home Minister P Chidabaram criticised the BJP for taking ‘credit’ for the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi launched a blistering attack on him and the Congress stating that it was the same party where its leader Digvijay Singh gave clean chit to Pakistan on deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, Joshi said that the whole nation knows about their approach towards terrorism and such people will take credit for bringing Rana to India. Questioning the Congress, the Union Minister stated that if they didn’t agree with Singh, then why did they keep choosing him as a Rajya Sabha member and allow him to hold key posts in the party?

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: On Congress claiming credit for the extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi says, “… They were in power till 2014 but they did not do anything. Modi government has very tactfully brought him back and now the Congress is… pic.twitter.com/01DOmdq8tD

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2025

“Their approach towards terrorism, Chidambaram has vociferously stated that they had started the process, and Tahawwur Rana’s extradition is the result of this. But Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had said that Pakistan is not involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. They gave a clean chit to Pakistan…If the Congress party does not agree with his opinion, why did they bring him to the Rajya Sabha many times? He was General Secretary for years… It was a clean chit to Pakistan. These people are taking credit for the extradition of Tahawwur Rana…The whole nation knows about their approach towards terrorism,” Joshi told reporters.

#WATCH | Bengaluru | On 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused, Tahawwur Rana extradited to India, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi says, “…Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had said that Pakistan is not involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. They gave a clean chit to Pakistan…If the Congress… pic.twitter.com/YYds2Uum65

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2025

On Thursday, Congress leader P Chidambaram criticised the Modi government for taking “credit” for the extradition of the 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, saying that it was the result of years of “UPA-era groundwork.”

“In February 2025, Prime Minister Modi and President Trump stood at a press conference and tried to take credit for what was essentially the result of years of UPA-era groundwork. By February 17, Indian officials confirmed Rana’s role in the 26/11 conspiracy, dating back to 2005, when he coordinated with LeT and ISI operatives. Finally, on April 8, 2025, US authorities handed Rana over to Indian officials. He arrived in New Delhi on April 10,” Chidambaram said in a statement.

Chidambaram asserted that the Modi government did not initiate the extradition process; rather, it merely benefited from the consistent and strategic diplomacy that was begun under the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government (2004-2014). He was the Union Home minister from 2008 to 2012.

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Justice has termed the extradition of convicted terrorist Tahawwur Hussain Rana as “a critical step” toward seeking justice for the victims of the 26/11 heinous Mumbai terror attacks. “Rana’s extradition is a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and scores of other victims who were killed in the heinous attacks,” the Department of Justice said in a statement dated April 10, 2025.

Rana (64), a Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan, was extradited to stand trial in India on 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the DoJ statement said. He is charged with numerous offences, including conspiracy, murder, commission of a terrorist act, and forgery, related to his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks by Laskhar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), a designated terrorist organisation.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) successfully secured Rana’s extradition after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice. According to the NIA, Rana was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated under the India-US Extradition Treaty for his extradition. The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to stay on the move.

Rana was brought to India late on April 10 and produced before a special NIA court, which sent Rana to 18 days of NIA custody. (ANI)