Congress Slams US Ceasefire Remarks, Demands Special Parliament Session On Kashmir

NEW DELHI: The Congress strongly objected to attempts to internationalize the Kashmir issue, and reiterated its demand for a special Parliament session and an all-party meeting which Prime Minister Narendra Modi must attend. Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot said the "ceasefire" statement was a surprise, as this was the first time a third country had made announcements on behalf of India and Pakistan and questioned the US bid to internationalize the Kashmir issue.

The Leaders of the Opposition in both the RajyaSabha and the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi respectively, have written to the Prime Minister reiterating their demand to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament to demonstrate the collective resolve against terrorism.

“I reiterate the unanimous request of the Opposition to convene a special session of Parliament immediately. It is crucial for people and their representatives to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor and the ceasefire, first announced by the US President. This will also be an opportunity to demonstrate our collective resolve to meet the challenges ahead," Gandhi said in his letter.
In his letter, Kharge recalled the letters written by him and Rahul Gandhi on April 28, requesting the Prime Minister to convene a special session of Parliament in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, primarily tourists, on April 22.

"In view of the latest developments, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha has already written to you again conveying the unanimous request of all Opposition parties for a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and the ceasefire announcements, first from Washington DC and later by the governments of India and Pakistan," Kharge wrote.

The Congress said the government must accept the Opposition's demand for another all-party meeting chaired by the Prime Minister and a special session of Parliament to discuss these issues in the current circumstances.
Noting that events have changed swiftly in the last 24 hours, Pilot said, "We were all surprised after the announcement of ceasefire was made by the US President through social media."
"An attempt was made to internationalise the issues between India and Pakistan. This is the first time it has happened," he said, asserting that the government must clarify while taking the nation and all parties into confidence.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday announced that India and Pakistan had reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea with immediate effect."

"On what conditions has the ceasefire been declared and what is the guarantee that such things will not be repeated, as there is no credibility left after yesterday's events (violations). How can we believe them and what is the guarantee that such developments will not happen again," Pilot asked.
The Congress leader said one must also pay heed to what US President Donald Trump wrote on his social media posts, where he made statements on Kashmir, on which the government should spell out its side.
"Kashmir is a bilateral issue and the attempt to internationalise it, I feel, is not proper. In 1994, Parliament had passed a unanimous resolution to take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). It is time to repeat it," the Congress leader said, adding that a message that the entire country is united should go across the entire world.
The Congress party congratulated and saluted the courage and the bravery of the defence forces, who accurately targeted terror training camps in Pakistan from where terrorists had been launching attacks on India.