- By PTI
- Wed, 14 May 2025 12:36 AM (IST)
- Source:PTI
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday asked the government to clarify if US President Donald Trump's claims of halting military actions between India and Pakistan were true or a self-boast and questioned whether India had lost planes in Operation Sindoor.
In an interview with PTI Videos, the former Union home minister expressed concern over no country coming out openly in support of India following its May 7 strikes on terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and said China's support to Islamabad was also a matter of concern.
Describing Trump's claims of having brought a halt to the hostilities and preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan as "very intriguing", he said the Indian government must clarify on the claims.
Chidambaram also said Trump was an "uninvited guest" in matters between India and Pakistan.
He demanded the government convene an all-party meeting and a session of Parliament and answer the opposition's questions.
Noting that both the all-party meet and the session of Parliament were necessary, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi skipped the all-party meetings on April 24 and May 7.
The prime minister should have attended those meetings, he said.
"The prime minister should call an all-party meeting, and part of the session (of Parliament) can even be a closed session. At least brief leaders what is the real position. There are a number of questions to be asked," he said.
"Army and air force officers have practically admitted that we have suffered some losses. Although I don't accept Pakistan's exaggerated claims, but, in a war situation, both sides will lose some equipment. Have we lost planes? Have we suffered damage? All that must be told to the opposition leaders," Chidambaram said.
"And President Trump's role has also to be clarified and the latest missive from President Trump that 'if you don't stop, I will not do trade with you. I prevented a nuclear war'. Now all that, is it an exaggeration and self-boast or is there any element of truth in it? All that has to be discussed in an all-party meeting," the Congress leader told PTI Videos.
He demanded an immediate session of Parliament because MPs from various parties would like to speak.
They are in touch with people in their constituencies and the constituents have told them what they feel about the situation, the Congress veteran said.
"All that has to be expressed. Sometime or other, Parliament must have an open discussion on the state of affairs between India and Pakistan. Why not have a session now? A one- or two-day session may suffice. I strongly support that demand for a Parliament session now," he said.
According to the government, Pakistan's director general of military operations (DGMO) called his Indian counterpart at 3:35 pm on May 10 and proposed stopping the hostilities, a proposal the Indian DGMO immediately agreed to, Chidambaram noted.
However, Trump went on television at 5 pm and made the announcement before the government of India could do it despite the foreign secretary's briefing being scheduled for 5:30 pm.
"How can such an announcement come from President Trump? Who told him and who authorised him to announce the ceasefire?" Chidambaram asked.
"The government of India has not clarified it so far. It has indirectly and in behind-the-scenes briefings said he was not authorised to make this announcement. But the fact is that he made the statement. The whole of India knew about the ceasefire only from Mr Trump's statement. It is very intriguing and very surprising," he said.
On Trump's claim of resolving the Kashmir issue, Chidambaram said the US president "seems to jump into every conflict".
Before he took office, he claimed he would stop the violence between Israel and Hamas the day he became president, the Congress leader said and noted the conflict was still going on.
He then said the Russia-Ukraine war would not have started had he been president, Chidambaram pointed out and added Trump was not able to stop it.
"Why is he so eager to jump into regional conflicts? I don't know. I don't know where he got the impression that he is welcome. I think the government of India has made it clear privately that Mr Trump is an uninvited guest. But, he invites himself...," the former home minister said.
He also expressed concern over China's support to Pakistan.
"I think the government of India, whether it recognises the grave concern… So far, it is nonchalant. I would not be so unworried. I would worry about China's support to Pakistan," he noted.
Asked what should India's long-term strategy on Pakistan be, Chidambaram said the prime minister mentioned in his address that "we don't want a war".
The prime minister also said "this is not an era of war", the Congress leader noted.
"I don't think India should voluntarily or unwittingly start a war. If there is a threat, we should defend (against) that threat. It should be a defensive offensive stance. The main thing is to defend our people, defend our country and to defend our sovereignty," Chidambaram said.
"If that requires offensive action… but I don't think we should give the impression that we are itching for a war with Pakistan," he stressed.
He also expressed his disappointment at India's foreign policy. "I am a little disappointed that no country after May 7 openly, publicly supported India's offensive deterrent action of May 7, 8 and 9."
"Maybe they have expressed support privately. But, I have not read anywhere that any country has openly supported us," he said.
Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives, Mauritius not expressing support is a matter of concern. They may be doing privately in talks with the foreign minister or foreign secretary, Chidambaram said. "But, it is a little worrying."
On April 22 many countries openly condemned the attack in Pahalgam and sympathised with India but nobody publicly expressed support after May 7, he said.
"In the IMF (International Monetary Fund), we apparently did not win supporters to oppose the IMF support to Pakistan. I think these are matters which gauge the prime minister and the foreign minister and they should reflect on that and tell us what the situation is," the former Union home minister said.
