<p>Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday alleged that the Congress had committed a 'historic blunder' by letting Pakistan become a nuclear state instead of taking any action during the 1980s.</p>.<p>Pakistan has been using "nuclear blackmail" to deter international action, the chief minister claimed.</p>.<p>''At a time when nations today act decisively to neutralise nuclear threats, India’s tragic inaction during the 1980s remains a cautionary tale of what could have been—and what wasn't," the chief minister said in a long post on X.</p>.After Himanta's 'shoot-at-sight' order, 38 arrested in Assam's Dhubri amid communal tensions.<p>He said that it was a ''missed moment'' though the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had solid intelligence confirming Pakistan’s uranium enrichment activities at the Kahuta facility.</p>.<p>In the post titled "Congress’s Historic Blunder: How India Let Pakistan Become a Nuclear State", Sarma claimed Israel had offered to help—from actionable intel to joint strike planning. Jamnagar Air Base was shortlisted as a potential launchpad and the Indian military gave full backing to a preemptive airstrike on Kahuta.</p>.<p>''India had the capability and consensus to eliminate the threat before it became a reality. Yet at the last minute: Indira Gandhi hesitated, fearing international fallout,'' the chief minister alleged.</p>.<p>Sarma further claimed that Rajiv Gandhi had ''shelved the plan, prioritising diplomacy over deterrence under foreign pressure''.</p>.<p>Its fallout was that in 1988, Rajiv Gandhi signed a no-strike nuclear agreement with Benazir Bhutto, the then prime minister of Pakistan, pledging mutual restraint on attacking each other’s nuclear installations, he said.</p>.<p>''A decade later, Pakistan tested nuclear weapons in 1998. India was pulled into a costly nuclear arms race. Kargil, proxy terror wars, and cross-border strikes have since occurred under Pakistan’s nuclear shield,'' Sarma claimed.</p>.<p>''To this day, Pakistan uses nuclear blackmail to deter international action and legitimize its rogue behaviour,'' he added.</p>.<p>The chief minister also alleged that the key INDIA bloc ally CPI(M) had promised in its manifesto in 2024 to roll back India’s nuclear deterrent if it comes to power.</p>.<p>''Where strong leadership demands resolve and foresight, Congress offered caution and delay. A historic window to safeguard India’s long-term security was squandered—for short-term diplomatic comfort,'' Sarma said.</p>.<p>India and the region continue to pay a strategic price for it even today, he added. </p>
<p>Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday alleged that the Congress had committed a 'historic blunder' by letting Pakistan become a nuclear state instead of taking any action during the 1980s.</p>.<p>Pakistan has been using "nuclear blackmail" to deter international action, the chief minister claimed.</p>.<p>''At a time when nations today act decisively to neutralise nuclear threats, India’s tragic inaction during the 1980s remains a cautionary tale of what could have been—and what wasn't," the chief minister said in a long post on X.</p>.After Himanta's 'shoot-at-sight' order, 38 arrested in Assam's Dhubri amid communal tensions.<p>He said that it was a ''missed moment'' though the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had solid intelligence confirming Pakistan’s uranium enrichment activities at the Kahuta facility.</p>.<p>In the post titled "Congress’s Historic Blunder: How India Let Pakistan Become a Nuclear State", Sarma claimed Israel had offered to help—from actionable intel to joint strike planning. Jamnagar Air Base was shortlisted as a potential launchpad and the Indian military gave full backing to a preemptive airstrike on Kahuta.</p>.<p>''India had the capability and consensus to eliminate the threat before it became a reality. Yet at the last minute: Indira Gandhi hesitated, fearing international fallout,'' the chief minister alleged.</p>.<p>Sarma further claimed that Rajiv Gandhi had ''shelved the plan, prioritising diplomacy over deterrence under foreign pressure''.</p>.<p>Its fallout was that in 1988, Rajiv Gandhi signed a no-strike nuclear agreement with Benazir Bhutto, the then prime minister of Pakistan, pledging mutual restraint on attacking each other’s nuclear installations, he said.</p>.<p>''A decade later, Pakistan tested nuclear weapons in 1998. India was pulled into a costly nuclear arms race. Kargil, proxy terror wars, and cross-border strikes have since occurred under Pakistan’s nuclear shield,'' Sarma claimed.</p>.<p>''To this day, Pakistan uses nuclear blackmail to deter international action and legitimize its rogue behaviour,'' he added.</p>.<p>The chief minister also alleged that the key INDIA bloc ally CPI(M) had promised in its manifesto in 2024 to roll back India’s nuclear deterrent if it comes to power.</p>.<p>''Where strong leadership demands resolve and foresight, Congress offered caution and delay. A historic window to safeguard India’s long-term security was squandered—for short-term diplomatic comfort,'' Sarma said.</p>.<p>India and the region continue to pay a strategic price for it even today, he added. </p>