NEW DELHI: A war of words broke out between the Congress and the BJP on Saturday over US President Donald Trump’s remark that “five jets were shot down” in the India-Pakistan conflict.
Questioning PM Narendra Modi’s ‘silence’ on Trump’s remarks, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded that PM Modi give a “clear and categorical” statement in Parliament on the US leader’s claims on the India-Pakistan conflict over the last 70 days.
Gandhi’s assertion came after Trump’s statement that “five jets were shot down” during the May conflict, while repeating his assertion that the fighting ended following his intervention.
However, the US president did not specify whether the jets were lost by either of the two countries or if he was referring to combined losses.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “Modiji, what is the truth about the five jets? The country has a right to know!”
Congress general secretary in-charge (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said just two days before the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins, “the Trump missile gets fired” for the 24th time with the same two messages. He pointed out that Trump has again stated that the US stopped the war between India and Pakistan, two countries that have nuclear weapons. The US President also reiterated his remarks that there would be no trade deal if the war continued, he said.
“The PM, who has had years of friendship and huglomacy with President Trump going back to ‘Howdy Modi’ in September 2019 and ‘Namaste Trump’ in February 2020, has to now himself make a clear and categorical statement in Parliament on President Trump’s claims,” the Congress leader said.
BJP leader Amit Malviya hit back saying Gandhi’s mentality is that of a traitor and asked whether he was a spokesperson for Pakistan.
“The truth is that Pakistan has not yet recovered from Operation Sindoor... but Rahul Gandhi is in pain! Whenever the country’s army teaches a lesson to the enemy, Congress gets irritated. Anti-India sentiment is no longer a habit of Congress, it has become its identity.” Malviya posted on X.