PM has to answer in Parliament: Congress on Trump's India-Pakistan 'ceasefire' claims

The Congress on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to answer to President Donald Trump's India-Pakistan "ceasefire" claims in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the forthcoming Monsoon session of Parliament.

Tagging a post carrying Trump's latest remarks referring to the trade deal in the works with India, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Today the score stands at 66 days, 23 reiterations." "Parliament will resume from July 21st. The score will no doubt change before then. But the PM has to answer clearly in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The nation wants to know," Ramesh said, referring to Trump's claims on bringing about a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan.

Trump on Monday had reiterated his claim that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan, which could have turned into a "nuclear war", through trade.

Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after a long night of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim on several occasions that he helped settle the tensions between India and Pakistan.

However, India has been consistently maintaining that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.

In a nearly 35-minute phone call with Trump last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly stated that India does not and will "never accept" mediation and that the discussions between Indian and Pakistani militaries on cessation of military actions were initiated at Islamabad's request.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.