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‘Ab sindoor ka dibya baantne se kuch nahi hoga’: Prashant Kishor questions Centre on ceasefire with Pakistan
Prashant Kishor said he trusts India’s foreign minister about the ceasefire, not Trump, who he thinks wants credit to win a peace prize.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, on Saturday questioned the Centre’s decision to agree to a ceasefire with Pakistan, asking why the government accepted it if Islamabad was on the back foot.
Referring to a statement by external affairs minister S Jaishankar, whom he praised as a “well-read and sensible leader,” Kishor said the minister himself confirmed that the ceasefire was initiated at Pakistan’s request.
“This shows that India was in a strong position, and Pakistan wanted to stop the fighting,” Kishor said, adding, “India could have continued the operation for two more days on Pakistan instead of agreeing to a ceasefire so soon.”
Speaking in Bihar’s East Champaran, Kishor said, “The country’s foreign minister is a very well-read and sensible person, and I have great respect for him. I read his statement that the ceasefire was done on Pakistan’s request and initiative. So, if Pakistan wanted a ceasefire, it means the army was right in saying we were defeating them. That’s why Pakistan wanted to stop the fighting. So why did you agree to it?”
Kishor says he trusts foreign minister on ceasefire, not Trump
He added that US President Donald Trump has claimed credit for brokering the ceasefire, possibly hoping for a peace prize. However, he said he would trust only the statement of India’s foreign minister, who said the ceasefire took place at Pakistan’s request.
“Our foreign minister says Pakistan asked for the ceasefire, while Trump is claiming credit and may be thinking he deserves a peace prize. Why should we believe Trump? We trust our foreign minister,” said Kishor.
He also said that both the army and the people had already made up their minds, and since the government had carried out mock drills with sirens, the Indian Army should have been allowed to continue its operations and teach Pakistan a lesson.
“Instead, the government agreed to a ceasefire, and now distributing vermilion boxes won’t make any difference,” Kishor alleged.
He said, “Ab ceasefire kar liye to kaahe janta ko bewakoof bana rahe ho. Aap ke saamne hai jo keh rahe hain galat keh rahe hain. Uske baad ab sindoor ka dibya baantne se kuch nahi hoga. (Now that the ceasefire has happened, why are you trying to fool the public? Those who are saying otherwise are wrong. After this, distributing vermilion boxes won’t make any difference.)”
