Narendra Modi during a meeting with Donald Trump
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately call an all-party meeting after he returns from his three-nation tour to brief leaders on what transpired in his telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump.
It also said that Indian foreign policy and diplomacy have received "triple jhatka (setback)" with the latest being Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir invited to have dinner with Trump and that Modi should have conveyed New Delhi's displeasure to the US president.
The remarks came as Modi spoke with Trump over telephone and set the record straight that India had paused strikes on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor following a request from Pakistan and not due to mediation or offer of a trade deal by the US.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said, "why does PM Modi himself not say the same thing in the all-party meeting that the Foreign Secretary has mentioned in his statement? We wanted the Prime Minister to say the same thing in the special session of Parliament. Why is the Prime Minister running away and making the Foreign Secretary say that? He should have the courage to say that."
He said it was good that there has been a talk between Modi and Trump. "Now after returning to India, Modi should hold an all-party meeting...but our question is why PM Modi is running away from the discussion?...However, it remains to be seen what statement Trump will make about this conversation, but we are agreeing with the Foreign Secretary."
Before the invite to Munir, he said, General Michael Kurilla, who is the Head of the US Central Command, maintained that Pakistan is a "phenomenal partner" in counter-terrorism when we ay it is a "phenomenal perpetrator" of terrorism and Trump has 14 times, Trump has claimed that he mediated a ceasefire using trade as an instrument.
"This is a setback for Indian diplomacy. We are quiet about it, we have not objected to it...Today, we are told that Modi had a 35 minute phone call with Trump and he said many of the things that Foreign Secretary has given a readout...Say the same thing in Parliament. Call a special session of Parliament. Call an all-party meeting tomorrow and say the same things that Modi has supposedly told President Trump," he said.