Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not outrightly calling Trump a liar, alleging that if he does so then the “whole truth” will come out.
The Lok Sabha LoP said that right now, Trump is repeatedly claiming to have brokered a ceasefire deal to put pressure on India amid the ongoing trade deal discussions between India and the US.
“It is obvious that Prime Minister has not said that Trump has not lied. Everyone knows what has happened, they are just not able to say, that is the problem. This is the truth, if the PM says (something), then he (Donald Trump) will say by opening up fully, then the whole truth will come out. That is why it is not being said,” the LS LoP told reporters outside Parliament.
Despite the Centre’s repeated clarifications that US, or any other country was not involved in deciding on the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, Donald Trump has once again claimed to have brokered peace between the nations.
The Congress leader further alleged, “Now (trump) is saying because he wants his trade deal then he is putting pressure. Let’s see what trade deal happens.”
Earlier, speaking during the discussion on Operation Sindoor, PM Modi said that no leader in the world told India to stop Operation Sindoor. The PM’s remarks were made amid the opposition repeatedly targeting the government over Trump’s claims.
“No leader in the world told India to stop its operation. On the night of 9th May, the Vice President of America tried to talk to me. He tried for an hour, but I was in a meeting with my army, so I could not pick up his call. Later, I called him back. The Vice President of America told me on the phone that Pakistan is going to launch a big attack. My answer was that if Pakistan has this intention, it will cost them a lot. If Pakistan attacks, we will respond by launching a big attack. This was my answer,” PM Modi said.
More recently on July 29 (local time), President Trump, while speaking to reporters during a press conference aboard the Air Force One praised India’s leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its role in regional stability, but also claimed credit in brokering the “ceasefire” agreement following the recent conflict triggered after the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
“Look, India, they’re my friends and he’s (PM Modi) my friend and you know they ended the war with Pakistan and by request and I was great and Pakistan did also. We did a lot of great settlements,” Trump said.
India had reportedly refuted the claims made by the US president, noting that it was Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who contacted their Indian counterpart to request an end to hostilities, following which the ceasefire was then agreed upon.
Trump has also said that the India-US trade deal was “working out very well” but hinted at a 20 per cent to 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi. However, Trump hasn’t sent any letters to India announcing the tariff imposed, as he did for many other nations.
