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'Modi scared of Trump, must say US President lying about India-Pak claim': Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi said that next time when PM Modi comes to Bihar he must say that the US President is lying about ‘stopping’ the India-Pakistan conflict.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "scared" of Donald Trump, urging that he must clarify that the US President is "lying about stopping the India-Pakistan conflict".
Gandhi made the remarks while speaking at a joint rally in poll-bound Bihar's Darbhanga constituency.
Trump has now claimed several times that he used trade and tariffs as a tool to get India and Pakistan to come to a ceasefire during the fighting in May that was triggered after Operation Sindoor. India has repeatedly affirmed that no third-party mediation was involved in the ceasefire understanding between New Delhi and Islamabad.
On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
ALSO READ | Congress' ‘good friend’ dig at PM Modi after Trump repeats India-Pak ceasefire claim
This is not the first time the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha has hit out at the PM over Trump's claim on the India-Pakistan ceasefire.
During a debate on Operation Sindoor in the Parliament in July, Rahul Gandhi took a sharp jibe at PM Modi and demanded that he provide clarity on Trump's repeated claims.
He dared Modi to directly confront the US President's claims and said, "If he has the courage, he will say here that Donald Trump is a liar. 50% India Gandhi ka courage hai toh ye bol dega." He then fixed his reference to the PM, saying, "bol denge, sorry".
"Why is the Prime Minister silent? If Trump is lying, say it. Say it in Parliament," he added.
Trump and his India-Pak claim
Donald Trump on Tuesday evening repeated his claim of having mediated peace between India and Pakistan for the nth time.
The US President has claimed that he threatened to impose 200 per cent tariffs and refused to do any trade deals unless New Delhi and Islamabad agreed to a ceasefire. He has claimed that he prevented a potential "nuclear war".
Trump had claimed that he settled the India-Pakistan conflict in 24 hours.
ALSO READ | After 'Mr Prime Minister...' gift for Modi, Trump stresses '200% tariff' threat ‘stopped India-Pak war’
India and Pakistan were engaged in a four-day long conflict after the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan attempted to launch retaliatory strikes with drone attacks and shelling across the border in Jammu and Kashmir and other border regions, most of which were thwarted by the Indian forces and defence machinery.
On May 10, a ceasefire understanding was reached.
Amid Trump's repeated claims, India has consistently been firm on its stance that no third-party mediation was involved in reaching the ceasefire understanding with Pakistan. The Centre had clarified that the Pakistani director general of military operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart to cease all hostilities, following which a ceasefire understanding was reached on May 10.
