New Delhi: The Congress Saturday termed as “unprecedented” the announcement made by US President Donald Trump that India and Pakistan have agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire following US-mediated talks, with some party leaders accusing the Centre of “succumbing” to American pressure.
Several Congress leaders also drew comparisons to the 1971 war led by Indira Gandhi as prime minister, in which India secured a decisive victory over Pakistan, after Washington’s announcement, saying that she would have never allowed the US to intervene in the dispute between the two neighbours.
The Congress demanded a special session of the Parliament to discuss the events since the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam.
“In view of the unprecedented announcements from Washington DC, there is now a need, more than ever before, for the PM to chair an all-party meeting and take political parties into confidence and a special session of Parliament to discuss the events of the last eighteen days, beginning with the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks and the way forward, and to demonstrate a collective resolve,” Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posted on X.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also echoed Ramesh, saying a special session of the Parliament was needed as the country deserves to know what it has achieved and what “it has lost”.
“It is unprecedented that we get to know this from the American President… Therefore, the questions that India wants to ask can only be answered through a special session of Parliament. Therefore, Congress demands a special session of Parliament and all-party meeting…the victims of Pahalgam would also like to know whether justice has been served to them or not,” Khera said to reporters.
The Congress’s official X handle posted a photograph of Indira Gandhi with the caption: “Indira Gandhi. COURAGE | CONVICTION | STRENGTH”. Party leader Supriya Shrinate wrote: “It is not easy to be Indira Gandhi”.
In a post on X, Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari pointed out that the US is making no bones about its role in bringing about the agreement between India and Pakistan to cease hostilities.
“It (US) is rubbing it in. It is also interesting that in the statement below the ceasefire is hyphenated with talks at a Neutral venue on a broad set of issues. Call it by whatever name you want, this is third party mediation,” wrote Tewari.
Former Youth Congress president Srinivas B.V. wrote that those leaders who are “succumbing to American pressure” should remember the courage of Indira Gandhi.
“America had also put pressure on Indira Gandhi; threats were made and warnings given that if India took any step forward, it would have to face the consequences. But Indira Gandhi neither stopped nor bowed down, nor got scared. She showed the entire world that the protection of India’s borders and honour is above any international pressure. Result – In 1971, Indira Gandhi divided Pakistan into two parts and created Bangladesh,” Srinivas posted.
The Left parties, too, questioned the role of the US in the mediation between the two neighbours.
Dipankar Bhattacharya, general secretary of the CPIML, said in a statement, “So India under Modi now needs ‘a long night of American mediation’ to agree to a ceasefire after three days of growing concern in the country about the consequences of a full-scale India-Pakistan military conflict. The news of a ceasefire was broken by Trump and his officials before being corroborated by India and Pakistan. Wish the two regimes listened to their own people and did not leave room for American intervention.”
“The ceasefire should be used as the first step towards complete de-escalation. Both India and Pakistan should withdraw the announcements made in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and restore full diplomatic relations between the two neighbours. The perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack must be brought to justice and measures taken to ensure lasting peace and promote friendship and cooperation in the region,” he said.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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