Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s social media post offering to mediate between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue, several senior Congress leaders have demanded a special session of Parliament and an all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The demands come amid criticism of the government’s handling of the recent ceasefire understanding between the two neighbouring countries.
Senior Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal slammed Trump’s remarks and raised questions over what he termed as “misinformation” provided to the opposition regarding the situation. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Sibal said, “Many questions will be raised on this tweet… No information has been shared with us about what happened and how. We are not issuing any criticism today, but we want a special Parliament session and an all-party meeting.”
He further urged all political parties not to attend any government-called meeting unless chaired by Prime Minister Modi himself. “I am confident that if Dr. Manmohan Singh were the Prime Minister today, he would have been present at the meeting and called a special session,” he added.
Congress MP Manish Tewari also weighed in, countering Trump’s claim that the Kashmir conflict is a centuries-old issue. “It started on October 22, 1947, when Pakistan invaded Jammu & Kashmir,” he posted on X. “How difficult is it to grasp this simple fact?”
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh echoed the call for transparency and leadership, demanding an all-party meeting and special Parliament session to discuss Operation Sindoor, the Pahalgam terror attack, and the ceasefire announcement made first in Washington, DC. “Mention of a ‘neutral forum’ for India-Pakistan talks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio raises serious questions—have we abandoned the Shimla Agreement?” he asked.
The developments come in the wake of a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, which the U.S. claims to have facilitated. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, praised the leadership of both nations for preventing further escalation and potential loss of millions of lives. He also reiterated his desire to mediate the Kashmir conflict and increase trade with both countries.
India, however, has consistently rejected third-party mediation on Kashmir, maintaining that the issue is strictly bilateral.