A charged political face-off unfolded in Parliament on Tuesday as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge launched an aggressive offensive on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the debate on Operation Sindoor. The sharpest jibe came from the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who directly challenged the Prime Minister’s silence over former US President Donald Trump’s recurring claims of mediating peace between India and Pakistan.
“If he has the courage, then he should say it here—Donald Trump is lying,” Gandhi said, looking directly at the treasury benches. “If Trump is lying, say it in Parliament. Call him a liar on record.”
Gandhi accused the Modi government of lacking the political will and strategic clarity needed to handle matters of national security. Drawing a historic comparison, he invoked the decisive leadership of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the 1971 war. “When the Seventh Fleet moved towards India, Indira Gandhi told General Manekshaw to take all the time he needed. That was real political will. That’s what true operational freedom looks like,” he said, contrasting it with what he termed as the government’s vague and reactive approach in Operation Sindoor.
Trump’s Claims Ignored Repeatedly, Says Kharge
Joining the offensive from the Rajya Sabha, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questioned why the Indian government had yet to issue a clear rebuttal to Trump’s multiple public statements. “Trump has claimed at least 29 times that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Even now, the government doesn’t deny it,” Kharge said. “By the time I finish speaking, he may say it for the 30th time.”
Kharge stressed that such silence from the Indian government sends the wrong message to both domestic and international audiences, especially when the issue involves India’s sovereignty and foreign policy autonomy.
Opposition Questions PM’s Silence
Both leaders accused the Modi government of selective outrage and pointed hypocrisy—projecting muscular nationalism on domestic platforms while allegedly failing to assert India’s narrative on global platforms like the Trump ceasefire claim.
Rahul Gandhi’s remarks sparked vocal protests from the BJP benches, leading to brief disruptions. However, the Congress leadership remained firm, asserting that questioning foreign interference and demanding accountability from the Prime Minister was a matter of national dignity, not partisan politics.
This remains a developing story. Updates may follow.
