Congress demands special session of Parliament to discuss Pahalgam, Op Sindoor
Party leader Sachin Pilot said the Centre should clarify what conditions were accepted for the ceasefire and what kind of assurances were exchanged between India and Pakistan
The Congress on Sunday (May 11) demanded that a special session of Parliament be convened immediately to discuss all issues connected with the events of the last few days, including the India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement by US President Donald Trump and the killing of Indian civilians in Pahalgam on April 22.
Also read: 'Someone educate US President’: Cong slams Trump for mediation offer on Kashmir
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, senior party leader Sachin Pilot said Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have both written to the prime minister in this regard.
Storm over Trump role
Hitting out at the Centre, Pilot said, “We are extremely surprised that the announcement of the ceasefire came not from our government but from the US President and that too on social media. This is unprecedented.”
Referring to Trump’s latest post on Truth Social, the Congress leader said, “We are also surprised and troubled by the US President saying he will work with India and Pakistan to ‘see if a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir’. This goes against our stated foreign policy and India’s stand over the decades to not allow any third-party mediation on Kashmir. It essentially has internationalised the Kashmir issue, which we have always held to be a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. The PM and the government need to explain how this was allowed to happen.”
‘PM must clear air’
The entire Opposition, including the Congress, is unanimous that internationalising Kashmir, allowing any third-party mediation, including by the US, is unacceptable, he added.
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Pilot said the entire Opposition had unanimously and unwaveringly stood behind the government since the Pahalgam attack and told the government that any action it took against Pakistan would have our absolute support. “It is time that the prime minister takes the Opposition into confidence and shares with us what steps have been taken since and whether the government had agreed to have the US as a mediator,” he added.
Resolution on PoK
The former Union minister said, “In 1994, the then Congress government had got a resolution passed unanimously by Parliament expressing our collective resolve to retake PoK. We want that resolution reiterated by Parliament in the wake of what we have been seeing for the past 25 years, particularly the events since April 22. This should be done at the special session.”
Talking about the events that unfolded over the last few days, he said, “We salute the valour of our Armed Forces, who have once again given a befitting reply to Pakistan, and we express our condolences at the loss of lives during the attacks by Pakistan over the last 3 days.”
Ceasefire violations
Expressing concerns over ceasefire violations on the LoC last night, he said it was a matter of concern and an all-party meeting should be convened, aside from the special session of Parliament, so that the government can explain how it sees these violations.
Pilot also said that the Centre should clarify what conditions were accepted for the ceasefire and what kind of assurances were exchanged between India and Pakistan. In view of the prime minister skipping the last two all-party meetings, he said it is absolutely essential that he should convene and chair the next all-party meeting and take the entire Opposition into confidence.
Letter to PM Modi
Earlier, both Kharge and Rahul wrote a letter to PM Modi, requesting a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor, and the ceasefire announcement involving the US.
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In his letter, Rahul said, “It is crucial for the people and their representatives to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and today’s ceasefire, first announced by US President Trump. This will also be an opportunity to demonstrate our collective resolve to meet the challenges ahead.” Kharge also sent a letter to the prime minister, echoing sentiments on similar lines.