Siddaramaiah Clarifies “No War” Remark After Backlash; BJP Calls Him “Pakistan Ratna”  

Bengaluru/New Delhi- Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tried to clarify his earlier statement regarding war with Pakistan, stating he “never said we should not go to war,” after his initial remarks sparked a major controversy. The BJP has strongly criticized his statements, labeling him “Pakistan Ratna” and highlighting Pakistani media coverage of his comments.

“I never said we should never go to war with Pakistan, I just said war is not the solution,” Siddaramaiah stated, attributing the Pahalgam terror attack to intelligence and security failures. “As far as war is concerned, if it’s inevitable, we must go to war.”

His initial comments, where he said, “We are not in favour of waging war,” were widely reported by Pakistani media, including Geo News, which described them as “voices against war from within India.”

Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra shared a Geo News clip on X, accusing Siddaramaiah of garnering praise from Pakistan. “Is Siddaramaiah going to be the next politician from India to be taken around in an open Jeep in Pakistan?” he questioned, drawing a parallel to Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Rawalpindi.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa condemned Siddaramaiah’s statements as “childish” and demanded an apology. “He should understand the reality and not make such comments when the nation is standing together,” Yediyurappa said.

R Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, went further, calling Siddaramaiah “Pakistan Ratna.” Even within his own party, Siddaramaiah faced criticism. Congress leader HR Srinath called his remarks “personal” and not representative of the party’s stance, while Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar declined to comment.

The controversy erupted following the Pahalgam terror attack, which has led to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and visa services for Pakistani nationals, while Pakistan has threatened to suspend all bilateral agreements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to punish the perpetrators of the attack, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has pledged the Opposition’s full support for any government action.

Later in the day, Siddaramaiah released a detailed statement emphasizing that “war should always be a nation’s last resort” and acknowledging intelligence and security lapses. He also called for national unity and urged the central government to take decisive action against Pakistan, while cautioning that India’s growing global stature requires “wisdom and caution.” He also called for action against those attempting to create internal division.