Rebut US claims on India-Pak ceasefire, Rahul tells PM Modi

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged the Centre lacked “political will” during Operation Sindoor and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not sacrifice the armed forces for “petty political gains”, daring him to rebut US President Donald Trump's claims about brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

- Saubhadra Chatterjee

Gandhi cast doubts on defence minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks about the Indian director general of military operation’s communication with his Pakistani counterpart on May 7, challenged external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s assertions on diplomacy, and hit out at the PM.

“This is a very dangerous time, and we can't afford a PM who lacks the courage to utilise the army the way it has to be used. We can't afford a PM who doesn’t have the guts to say from here that Donald Trump is a liar, that he didn’t stop India from fighting and is lying about the planes,” Gandhi said in the Lower House during a special discussion on Operation Sindoor

Gandhi alleged that Trump has stated “29 times” that he brought about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. “If he is lying, the PM should say here that Trump is lying. If he has the courage of Indira Gandhi, let him say here, ‘Trump, you are a liar, you did not make a ceasefire and we did not lose any planes’,” Gandhi said.