The Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of double standards on national security, alleging that he refused to convene two all-party meetings on the Pahalgam terror attacks and Operation Sindoor while simultaneously planning to send multi-party delegations abroad to brief foreign governments on India’s position on cross-border terrorism.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “The Prime Minister has refused to chair two all-party meetings on the Pahalgam terror attacks and Operation Sindoor. The Prime Minister has not agreed to call a special session of Parliament that the Indian National Congress has been demanding to demonstrate a collective will and reiterate the resolution passed unanimously by Parliament on February 22, 1994.”
Ramesh further said that even as the Congress continues to call for unity and solidarity, the BJP has been “defaming” the party. “Now suddenly the PM has decided to send multi-party delegations abroad to explain India’s stand on terrorism from Pakistan,” he said.
He, however, added that the Congress would participate in such delegations “in the supreme national interest”.
The remarks came days after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded that the Prime Minister call an all-party meeting to explain the circumstances behind the abrupt ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
Addressing reporters in Kalaburagi on Tuesday, Kharge raised concerns over US President Donald Trump claiming credit for the ceasefire, even as the Indian government denied any third-party mediation.
“It is a sensitive issue. When an all-party meeting is convened, we will raise these issues. We will ask what exactly happened and what was discussed during the telephonic conversation with Mr Trump,” Kharge said.
In its recent working committee meeting chaired by Rahul Gandhi, the Congress also expressed alarm over what it called an “inexplicable and unacceptable” silence from the Prime Minister on comments by US leaders.
The party said such remarks have led to an “unprecedented hyphenation” of India with Pakistan on the global stage and demanded a special session of Parliament to reaffirm the 1994 resolution that asserts Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India.
The party also took issue with the Prime Minister’s move to call an exclusive meeting of NDA chief ministers on May 25, accusing him of politicising a national security matter by excluding opposition-ruled states. “The PM should have called all chief ministers, not just those from his party,” said Ramesh.
Multiple Congress leaders, including Shashi Tharoor, P Chidambaram, Sachin Pilot and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, voiced unease over the role of foreign powers in the ceasefire announcement and the absence of explicit mentions of “terrorism” in public statements from Washington.
Concerns were also raised over China and Russia’s silence and Pakistan’s growing leverage in global diplomatic narratives.
While reiterating its support for the Indian armed forces, the party criticised the Modi government for what it called a “poorly devised conclusion of hostilities” without concrete assurances on ending cross-border terror.
The BJP has yet to officially respond to Ramesh’s allegations.