NEW DELHI: A major political row erupted over Congress leader P Chidambaram‘s remarks that those behind the Pahalgam massacre could be “homegrown terrorists”and that it was wrong to assume that they were from Pakistan.Senior BJP leaders hit out at the former home minister over his statements in a video interview, which was endorsed by a few others in Congress, with Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accusing Congress and Chidambaram of “speaking the same language” as used by Pakistan. Chidambaram, however, said his remarks had been taken out of context. “Why is P Chidambaram saying this?” Chouhan asked. “The language in which Pakistan is speaking, the same language is being used by Chidambaram and Congress…The mask has been removed from the opposition’s face,” he said, wondering if the Congress leader was asking for proof about Pakistan’s hand in the Pahalgam terror attack in J&K.In the interview, Chidambaram had said, “…for all we know they could be homegrown terrorists, why do we assume they came from Pakistan.”He later said this bit was part of larger statement which his accusers have suppressed. “Trolls are of different kinds and use different tools to spread misinformation. The worst kind is a troll who suppresses the full recorded interview, takes two sentences, mutes some words, and paints the speaker in a black colour!” he said on X. BJP leader Anurag Thakur accused Congress of casting doubts on the achievements of the Indian armed forces during Operation Sindoor. “When it comes to terrorist attacks, Pakistan is unable to defend itself, but Rahul-occupied Congress leaders are quick to take its side,” he said.He said this was not the first time that Congress leaders have demanded evidence from the armed forces while attempting to “absolve Pakistan in advance”. “The country will not give dossiers anymore, it will give doses. We will not give proof, we will give coffins to terrorists,” the Hamirpur MP said.BJP MP Sambit Patra said Chidambaram has made evident that the opposition is not standing with Operation Sindoor and the bravery of the Indian Army. “Chidambaram is giving a clean chit to Pakistan. It is not he who is speaking; it is the voice of the Gandhi family and the Congress, Chidambaram is only articulating it,” Patra said.