Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi slams Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over repeated “ceasefire” claims made by US President Donald Trump
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to intervene in the discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor to be held in Parliament next week.
The Lok Sabha will discuss the issue on July 28, with the Opposition insisting on the Prime Minister’s reply. Official sources have indicated the PM may intervene, if not reply, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expected to respond in detail.
The PM is, meanwhile, likely to address the domestic and global audience through the parliamentary debate on the issue. Sources said it would be an occasion to expose Pakistan for sponsoring terror and to engage the world on India’s newly framed doctrine that future terror attacks will be treated and responded to as “acts of war”.
The Rajya Sabha too will discuss the matter next week, with the business advisory committee (BAC) of the House holding its first meeting on Wednesday after the shock resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice-President on Monday.
The Rajya Sabha BAC, on the lines of the Lok Sabha BAC, has decided to allocate 16 hours to the crucial discussion, which the Opposition sees as an opportunity to corner the government on the issue of combat losses, US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of negotiation in the India-Pakistan conflict ceasefire and his remarks that he used trade to get the nuclear-armed neighbours to cease hostilities in May.
The government sources have yet not made any commitment to the Opposition on whether the PM will intervene, but hasn’t said no either.
Pramod Tiwari, Congress deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha who represented his party at the BAC meeting today, said the Opposition demanded that the PM be present during the discussions. “We have been assured of this by the government,” he said.
A government leader said the PM may speak during the debate because the issue had global resonance, especially after India dispatched a multi-party delegation to articulate its view on the necessity and outcomes of Operation Sindoor, the military response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 civilian lives. The Opposition is also gearing up to question the government on why the terrorists behind the attack were still at large.
According to sources, a discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha is likely to begin next week, with 16 hours allocated to the Operation after a consensus was reached.
Oppositon parties have been demanding the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the debate on Operation Sindoor. Meanwhile, Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over repeated “ceasefire” claims made by US President Donald Trump.
Suggesting that one can’t hide from reality, he said that the entire world knows that Trump announced a “ceasefire” between India and Pakistan.
“How can the Prime Minister give a statement? Kya bolenge PM, ki Trump ne karwaya hai? (What will he say? Did Trump announce it? He can’t say it, but it is the truth. The entire world knows that Trump has announced a ceasefire. We can’t hide from reality,” Gandhi told reporters here.
“This is not only about a ceasefire. There are several major issues that we would like to discuss related to defence, defence manufacturing, and Operation Sindoor. The condition is not normal; the entire nation knows,” he added.
Gandhi stated that the Prime Minister has not been able to provide a single response to Trump’s claims about a ceasefire, which he has reiterated 25 times so far.
“Those who call themselves ‘deshbhakt’ have run away. The Prime Minister is unable to give a single statement. Trump has claimed 25 times that he has announced a ceasefire. Who is he? This is not his work. However, the Prime Minister didn’t respond once. This is reality. Can’t hide from it,” the Congress MP said.
“They have destroyed our foreign policy. You can hardly count on your fingers the number of countries that have supported us. No one has supported us,” Gandhi added.
This came after a recent statement made by Donald Trump, where he repeated his claims of “stopping the war between India and Pakistan” in the name of trade deals. (ANI)
