Congress seeks clarification from Prime Minister’s claims on US mediation

Congress leader Ashok Gehlot held a party briefing at the party office at 24 Akbar Road, New Delhi on Tuesday. |Picture source: ANI

Congress claimed on Tuesday (May 13, 2025) that the Narendra Modi administration lost its “moral authority” after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

Ashok Gehlot, former chief minister of Rajasthan, said at a press conference held by the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) office that India has lost a “golden opportunity” in its course teaching terrorism as a national policy to Pakistan.

Mr Gallot claims that citizens believe that the Indian armed forces are strong and can provide Pakistan with a suitable lesson to ensure that terrorists and their camps will not be carried in the future.

“The way to declare a ceasefire is lost, moral authority and moral courage,” Grott said. He added: “It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him, the government and the country, but it is lost due to the sudden announcement of the ceasefire.”

The former Rajasthan chief minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech to the country on Monday night was “disappointing” because he did not clarify Mr Trump’s mediation claims.

Mr. Glott asked: “What pressure has the government that intervened and claimed to mediate under the government,” he asked several questions about why the Prime Minister did not respond to the U.S. president’s claim, because the United States has become internationalized.

Congress veterans reiterated the party’s request for a special session of parliament, discussed the issue, and held a full-party meeting chaired by PM where the government could articulate its ideas and policies after the Pahalgam attack.

Different opinions

However, there are different opinions on third-party mediation issues. “Third-party mediation between India and Pakistan is a reality that dates back to 1990, calling it by any name of return, brokerage, intermediary, arbitration, etc.,” Congress said in an article on X that from 1947 to 1972 to 1972, the Indian-Pakistan relationship was between 1947 and 1972, they were between 1947 and 1972, they were between 1947 and 1972, they were between 1947 and 1972, they were between 1947 and 1972, they were between 99 and 1992. Shimla Agreement, 1990, conducts third-party interventions under any nomenclature that you best suit. ”

“U.S. President Donald Trump is just telling the truth,” Turi said.

However, the official position of Congress on the issue, illuminated by Mr. Gallott and communications head Jairam Ramesh, asked the government about the issue of US positions.

Mr Ramesh noted that Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar spent the longest time with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the first to meet him, said in an article on X: “Usually, Mr. Rubio was very shocked by what the U.S. mediation and the “neutral neutral venue” said to the Indian-Pakistan conversation.”

Ramesh also asked in another article whether the Modi government would conduct a Kargir review committee-type exercise to investigate the Pahargam terrorist attack. “Three days after the Kargil War ended, the Vajpayee government set up the Kargil Review Committee on July 29, 1999. Its report was tabled in Parliament on February 23, 2000, although sections of it have remained classified — as indeed they must,” Mr. Ramesh said, adding, “Will the Modi government now conduct a similar exercise on Pahalgam, notwithstanding the NIA (National Investigation Agency) probe?”