PM Must Tell All-Party Meeting What He Told US President Trump: Congress
PM Modi has remained mute on US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he brokered a ceasefire with Pakistan
On Wednesday, June 18, the Congress party called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene an all-party meeting immediately upon return from his three-nation tour. The party emphasized the need for the Prime Minister to brief leaders on his recent telephonic conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. “The Prime Minister must take the nation into confidence,” stated Congress leaders, highlighting the importance of transparency in such critical matters.
The opposition party expressed concern over reports that Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir would be having lunch with Trump, labeling it a “huge setback” for India. Congress Rajya Sabha MP and general-secretary of communications, Jairam Ramesh, exhorted the government to establish a ‘Pahalgam Review Committee,’ similar to the Kargil Review Committee formed shortly after the Kargil War, which was chaired by K. Subrahmanyam, the father of current External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Ramesh articulated the need for the Prime Minister to address Trump’s claims in Parliament, particularly regarding the use of trade as a means to mediate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. His remarks followed Modi’s conversation with President Trump, during which the Prime Minister clarified that India had paused its strikes on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor due to a request from Islamabad, not because of any mediation or trade deal offered by the U.S.
According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Modi’s 35-minute phone call with Trump included a detailed briefing on Operation Sindoor. Modi made it clear that India has never accepted third-party mediation and will not do so in the future. Ramesh reiterated this point, stating, “The Prime Minister must rebut in Parliament Trump’s claims of using trade as an instrument for mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.”
Ramesh’s concerns were further amplified by the implications of Trump’s scheduled lunch with Gen. Munir. He remarked, “This is a triple jhatka for Indian diplomacy. Today, Field Marshal Munir, whose incendiary, inflammatory, provocative, and unacceptable remarks formed the background to the Pahalgam terror attack, is set to have lunch with President Trump… This is a huge setback.”
He also criticized U.S. General Michael Kurilla, the Chief of U.S. Central Command, for declaring Pakistan a “phenomenal partner” in counter-terror operations. Ramesh pointed out the irony, stating, “Same Pakistan gave sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden, who was killed on May 2, 2011, in Abbottabad. How does Pakistan become a phenomenal partner? Pakistan is a phenomenal perpetrator.”
The Congress leader highlighted the third setback as Trump’s repeated claims of having paused Operation Sindoor and facilitating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. “He (Trump) says he used trade as an instrument, equating India and Pakistan. He said this 14 times, and the PM has not said anything since May 10. So this is a triple setback,” Ramesh asserted, emphasizing the need for a strong response from the Indian government.
In light of these developments, the Congress party’s demand for an all-party meeting underscores the urgency of addressing the evolving diplomatic landscape and the implications of U.S.-Pakistan relations on India’s security. The party’s call for transparency and accountability reflects a broader concern about India’s position in the region and the need for a cohesive strategy in dealing with external pressures. As tensions continue to rise, the Congress party’s insistence on clarity from the Prime Minister highlights the critical nature of these discussions in shaping India’s foreign policy and national security.
