Congress questions Trump’s authority: ‘Who is Trump to announce ceasefire?
Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech, calling it “disappointing” and “damage control”. Gehlot questioned US President Donald Trump’s authority to announce a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, saying, “Who is Trump to announce a ceasefire? Why has he taken on a contractor’s role? Has the government given him a mandate?” Gehlot also expressed concerns about Trump’s claim to resolve the Kashmir issue, terming it “dangerous”.
“He’s also claiming he’ll resolve the Kashmir issue, which he’s described as being 1,000 years old. That’s concerning. He’s put India and Pakistan on the same footing. How can he do that?”
Gehlot praised the armed forces’ actions against terrorism following the Pahalgam terror attack but found the sudden ceasefire announcement perplexing. “It’s perplexing to understand why the ceasefire was announced so suddenly. The armed forces’ actions were being appreciated,” he said.
Gehlot demanded clarity on the government’s stance regarding Trump’s announcement, stating, “The nation wants to know what pressure Modi is under that he’s unable to counter Trump.” He added that the government should reveal its shortcomings and come clean about the situation.
He said the Prime Minister made some promises yesterday. “Nuclear blackmailing, PoK and action against terror sponsors, it is all very good. However, this ceasefire has been done without a thought. You said it is temporary. So how can the operation be stopped.”
Gehlot added that the Opposition has been with the government. “...so why are you moving away from the all-party meet,” he said. He also asked how many nations stood with India when “grave injustice” happened with it.
The Congress leader also questioned the government’s decision to halt operations, saying, “You’ve stated it’s temporary, so how can operations be halted?” He suggested calling a special Parliament session to discuss the matter and criticised the government’s moral authority, stating that countries like Turkey and Azerbaijan are supporting Pakistan.
