PM “shows weakness” by not responding to Trump’s repeated claims on India-Pakistan conflict: Congress chief

After U.S. President Donald Trump repeated his claim — for the 25th time, according to the Congress — that he had stopped the recent conflict between India and Pakistan, party leaders questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued “silence” on the issue.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said there was “something fishy” about Mr. Modi’s failure to respond even once to Mr. Trump’s repeated claim of facilitating a ceasefire. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge said the PM “shows weakness” by staying silent.

On Tuesday, the U.S. President said once again that he had stopped the recent conflict which “could end up in a nuclear war”, adding that five planes had been shot down during the war.

‘PM should respond firmly’

“Trump keeps saying that he facilitated a ceasefire, but Narendra Modi is silent, not responding. Does Narendra Modi want to be subservient to Trump? The country is the most important, which is why we supported the government,” Mr. Kharge told reporters. “In such a situation, when Trump repeatedly states that he brought about the ceasefire and insults India, the Prime Minister should respond firmly. This, in some way, shows weakness.”

Mr. Gandhi said that the PM could not respond as “the whole world knows” the truth of the situation. “This is not just about ceasefire there are big problems that we want to discuss. There are problems related to defence, defence industry, Operation Sindoor. The situation is not good and the whole world knows. Those who call themselves patriots have run away. The Prime Minister is not able to give one statement,” Mr. Gandhi told journalists at the Parliament House complex.

‘Something fishy’

“Trump has said 25 times that ‘I got the ceasefire done’. Who is Trump to get a ceasefire done? It is not his job. But the Prime Minister has not given a reply even once. That is the truth, he cannot hide,” the Congress leader said, adding that the Modi government has “destroyed our foreign policy, no one supported us”.

The government has agreed to hold a Parliamentary discussion on Operation Sindoor when the Prime Minister returns from his trip out of the country, Mr. Gandhi said. “On the one hand you [government] say Operation Sindoor is ongoing and on the other hand you say that victory has been achieved. Either victory has been achieved or Sindoor is ongoing. Trump is saying I halted Sindoor, he has said it 25 times. So, ‘kuch na kuch toh daal mein kala hai na’ (something is fishy),” he added.