This combination of images shows US President Donald Trump (left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. — Reuters/File
NEW DELHI: India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, has sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continued silence over US President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions that he played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India.
In a video compilation shared by the Congress Kerala chapter on X, Trump is seen claiming in at least nine different instances, across various platforms, where he states that it was his intervention that led to a cessation of hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
“US President repeated this on all possible international platforms,” Congress wrote in the post, slamming Modi’s silence over the “claims”. The opposition party further said that Modi was “not fit to continue in his post anymore”, demanding that the prime minister quit.
The opposition’s offensive has come amid growing criticism of Operation Sindoor, which — shrouded in secrecy and marked by conflicting reports — has become a political flashpoint.
Pakistan armed forces launched a large-scale retaliatory military action, named “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos”, and targeted several Indian military targets across multiple regions.
The strikes, described by officials as “precise and proportionate”, were carried out in response to India’s continued aggression across the Line of Control (LoC) and within Pakistan’s territory, which New Delhi claimed were aimed at “terrorist targets”.
Pakistan downed its six fighter jets, including three Rafale, and dozens of drones. After at least 87 hours, the war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.
According to ISPR, a total of 53 individuals, including 13 personnel of the armed forces and 40 civilians, were martyred in Indian strikes during the recent military confrontation.
The military confrontation between the two countries was triggered by last month’s attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that left 26 tourists dead, with India blaming Pakistan for the attack without offering any evidence.
Earlier this month, India’s Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on PM Modi, accusing him of “ surrendering” under pressure from US President Donald Trump during India’s Operation Sindoor.
During the Congress party’s organisational revitalisation campaign in Bhopal, Gandhi made these remarks mocking Modi’s response to international pressure during the operation, implying that a mere phone call from Trump had led to India backing off.
“Trump gave just a signal, picked up the phone and said, ‘Modi ji, what are you doing? Narendra, surrender.’ Saying ‘Yes, sir’, Narendra Modi obeyed Trump’s signal”, he said, contrasting the current leadership’s response with that of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi during the 1971 war.
Following these remarks, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Gandhi of an act tantamount to “no less than treason”.
BJP President JP Nadda posted on X that Gandhi’s remarks were an insult to the Indian armed forces and tantamount to echoing Pakistani propaganda, “…calling the unmatched valour and courage of the Indian Army a ‘surrender’ is not only unfortunate but also a grave insult to the Indian Army, the nation and 140 crore Indians.”
“This is no less than treason”, Nadda added. “Rahul Gandhi, you, your party and your leaders might have surrendered because this has been your history, but Bharat never surrenders.”
