Rahul Gandhi Challenges PM Over Trump’s India-Pakistan Ceasefire Claim

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Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has questioned the government’s handling of Operation Sindoor, calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to directly refute former United States (US) President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Speaking during a parliamentary debate on Tuesday, Gandhi alleged that the operation following the Pahalgam terror attack prioritized political optics over strategic military objectives.

Gandhi claimed that during the operation, the armed forces were restricted from targeting Pakistan’s military infrastructure, including air defense systems, due to directives from the political leadership. He alleged that these constraints contributed to the loss of Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft. Citing statements by Defence Attaché Captain Shiv Kumar and Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, Gandhi asserted that the military bore no fault for the losses, placing responsibility instead on political decision-making.

“The main objective was to protect the Prime Minister’s image,” Gandhi told the Lok Sabha, further accusing the government of declaring victory while the operation was still in progress. He also criticized what he described as a shift in policy where any act of terrorism is treated as an act of war, warning that such an approach could allow terrorist groups to provoke larger conflicts.

Addressing India’s foreign policy, Gandhi argued that the government had failed to prevent closer alignment between Pakistan and China, a challenge he described as a key strategic priority. He questioned the government’s diplomatic stance, particularly regarding Trump’s public meetings with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, and demanded an official statement from the Prime Minister dismissing Trump’s mediation claims.

Trump has reportedly made the ceasefire assertion on multiple occasions, and Gandhi urged Modi to clarify India’s position unequivocally in Parliament. He also criticized the absence of a strong public response, particularly in light of what he described as troubling optics of Munir being honored in Washington while, according to him, India’s leadership remained silent.