Siddaramaiah Defends ‘No War’ Stance After Pakistan Praises His Remarks
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah found himself in hot water after his comments about avoiding war with Pakistan following a recent terrorist attack in the Indian-administered Kashmir region.
Siddaramaiah’s statement, made in response to questions about India’s reaction to the attack, was that war was not the answer. He stressed the importance of strong security measures instead, saying, “Peace should prevail across the country. The Centre must strengthen security to protect the people.”
While Siddaramaiah emphasized that war should always be a last resort, used only when all other options have failed, his words were picked up by Pakistani media and celebrated. This led to a backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who accused Siddaramaiah of being too friendly with Pakistan. They even dubbed him “Pakistan Ratna” – a title that translates to “Jewel of Pakistan.”
Siddaramaiah took to social media to clarify his position, reiterating that war should never be the first option and that all other means of conflict resolution should be exhausted. He also pointed out the failings in India’s intelligence and security apparatus that allowed the Pahalgam attack to happen, urging the central government to address these weaknesses.
He acknowledged that the government was taking diplomatic steps, including revisiting the Indus Waters Treaty, and expressed confidence that stronger actions were in the works. He also condemned those attempting to spread hatred and division within India, calling for the government to take a firm stand against them.
The BJP, meanwhile, drew a comparison between Siddaramaiah’s reception in Pakistan and the way former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was treated there when he signed the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960. BJP leader BY Vijayendra questioned if Siddaramaiah would be similarly paraded through Pakistani streets.
