'Someone educate US President’: Cong slams Trump for mediation offer on Kashmir

Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Sunday (May 11) opposed US offer to mediate on Kashmir and mocked US President Donald Trump for calling the Kashmir issue, a "1,000 year-old conflict".

Demanding an all-party meeting to be chaired by the prime minister, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asked, "Have we abandoned the Simla Agreement? Have we opened the doors to third-party mediation? The Indian National Congress would like to ask if diplomatic channels between India and Pakistan are being reopened? What commitments have we sought and got?".

The Congress leader also wanted a special session of Parliament convened for a detailed discussion on the Pahalgam incident, Operation Sindoor and the understanding reached between India and Pakistan to stop all firing and military action.

Third party intervention

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posed several questions to the government, including whether New Delhi has opened the doors to third party intervention between India and Pakistan, and whether diplomatic channels with Pakistan have been opened.

His remarks came after India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

Also read: Cong seeks PM-chaired all-party meet on India-Pak ceasefire, questions US 'role'

In a post on X, he reiterated, "The Indian National Congress reiterates its demand for an all-party meet chaired by the PM and for a special session of Parliament for a full discussion on Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor, and the ceasefire announcements made from Washington DC first and then subsequently by the governments of India and Pakistan".

Ramesh said the Congress considers that the mention of "neutral site" by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for dialogue between India and Pakistan raises many questions.

Also read: Trump offers to mediate on Kashmir, says will ramp up trade with India, Pak

No talks, says India

The ministry of information and broadcasting had on Saturday said there was no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place.

This statement came after US Secretary of State Rubio said that "the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site."

Not a biblical 1,000-year-old conflict

Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari took a dig at the US president pointing out that "Kashmir is not a biblical 1,000-year-old conflict and started only 78 years ago", and squarely rejected Trump's offer to mediate.

Also read: China condemns Pahalgam attack, reasserts support for Pakistan in the same breath

Trump had offered to mediate on the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan in a post on Truth Social.

Tiwari said on X that someone in the US establishment should "seriously educate" their President that Kashmir is not a "biblical 1,000 year old conflict".

"It started on October 22, 1947, 78 years ago when Pakistan invaded the Independent State of Jammu & Kashmir that subsequently was ceded to India in 'full' by Maharaja Hari Singh on October 26, 1947 that includes areas illegally occupied by Pakistan till now .

India does not need US intervention

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi too said that India doesn't need US or any other country's intervention to find solution on Kashmir.

In a post on X, Chaturvedi said that India does not need US intervention, or that of any other country to find a solution on Kashmir. "Destiny has given us that responsibility and India must rise up to that challenge," Shiv Sena (UBT) leader added.

Indira Gandhi's role in 1971 war

Jairam Ramesh also referred to reported remarks of two former army chiefs V P Malik and Manoj Narwane on the understanding reached between India and Pakistan, and said they demand answers from the prime minister himself.

"Finally, the Indian National Congress believes it is but natural for the country to recall Indira Gandhi for her extraordinarily courageous and resolute leadership in 1971," Ramesh said.

In another post, the Congress leader said, "On November 9, 1981, the IMF approved a US$ 5.8 billion loan to India."

"The US had strong objections to it and had abstained from the Executive Board meeting. But Indira Gandhi was able to persuade the IMF that the loan was necessary for India to be able to deal with the tripling of oil prices," he added.

Further, he wrote, "On February 29, 1984, when Pranab Mukherjee presented the Budget she had got him to announce that India had concluded the IMF programme successfully and that it was NOT drawing about US$ 1.3 billion of the amount approved. This is perhaps unique in the annals of IMF's history," Ramesh observed.

(With inputs from agencies)