Rahul Gandhi says PM Modi on 'weak wicket' on Trump's claims

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday (July 30), said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was refusing to “unequivocally deny” US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims on mediating the India-Pakistan ceasefire, as Modi was on a “very weak wicket” and has much to cover up.

‘Trump will lay the truth bare’

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, the former Congress President further alleged that Modi could not directly state that Trump was lying because if he did so, then the US President would lay bare the truth.

As for Trump’s latest remarks repeating his ceasefire claims and India preparing to face higher US tariffs between 20 and 25 per cent, Gandhi said, "It is obvious, the prime minister has not said that Trump is lying. It is obvious what has happened. Everyone knows he is not able to say it. That is the reality."

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On Indo-US trade deal

"If the prime minister says it, then he (Trump) will say openly and will lay bare the truth, so that is why the PM is not able to say anything," added Rahul.

Rahul further alleged that Trump has been making the remarks to pressure the Indian government, given the trade deal. "Now, you see what kind of trade deal happens," said Rahul as quoted by PTI.

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Khage says ‘something fishy’

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the Prime Minister does not have the courage to refute Trump, adding there was “something fishy” about it.

"Our policy has been that we have never accepted any sort of mediation by a third party in negotiations, and it is unacceptable to us even today. Why did they agree? What were the reasons? They should tell the country," Kharge told reporters in the Parliament House complex.

"He (Modi) did not even take Trump's name even once in his two-hour speech. Modi ji doesn't have the courage to say that 'Trump is lying and we shall not tolerate such nonsense'. They don't have the courage to say this. He should have condemned Trump's remarks and said that he is trying to distort the image of the country," he added.

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Asked about Trump repeating his claims, Priyanka Gandhi said, "If you hear the words used by the prime minister and the external affairs minister carefully, they are vague. They should say it directly. Rahul ji said yesterday also, he (Modi) should say that the US president is lying. He should say it in Parliament."

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday on Air Force One on his way back to Washington from Scotland, Trump repeated the claim that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan.