BJP sharply criticized Rahul Gandhi's "surrender" statement, calling it an insult to the Indian army. The Congress party, while questioning the government's foreign policy, defended the statement. The controversy has sparked a debate on national security.
New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi's use of the word "surrender" has ignited a political firestorm. The BJP has condemned it as an insult to the Indian army, while the Congress party has questioned Narendra Modi's foreign policy, alleging that the Prime Minister bowed to pressure from the United States.
Controversy sparked by Rahul Gandhi's statement
Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, recently stated at a public meeting in Bhopal that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had implemented a ceasefire with Pakistan at the behest of then-US President Donald Trump and essentially "surrendered." Rahul Gandhi said in his speech, "Trump called and said, 'Narendra... surrender...' and Modi Ji, saying 'yes sir', obeyed him."
BJP's b counterattack: Insult to the army
BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, in a press conference, launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi. He stated that such a statement had not been made even by the Pakistani army, terrorist organizations, or even Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed. Rahul Gandhi, by using the word "surrender," has questioned the bravery and honor of the Indian army, Trivedi asserted.
Trivedi added that this statement not only lowers the standards of Indian politics but also clearly shows how close Rahul Gandhi's thinking is to Pakistan's mentality. He accused Rahul Gandhi of promoting Pakistani propaganda.
Congress's counterattack: 'Name Narendra, Work Surrender'
The Congress party bly rebutted the BJP's accusations. AICC media department head Pawan Khera, while showing a video clip of Rahul Gandhi's statement, said that the statement highlights the failure of the Modi government's policies. He said, "Devotees created an image for 11 years, but the real picture has emerged as 'Narendra's surrender'."
Khera stated that bravery does not come from mere dialogue but from character. He questioned the terms of the ceasefire and why the Prime Minister suddenly yielded if the Indian army was putting pressure on Pakistan.
Does saying 'surrender' constitute an insult to the nation?
According to the BJP, the use of the word "surrender" questions the army's valor. They argue that calling military successes like Operation Sindhudurg a surrender is an insult to the nation and the army. The Congress, however, maintains that the word "surrender" reflects Narendra Modi's diplomatic defeat, not the bravery of the Indian army.
The Congress also alleges that the Indian government's silence, when Trump repeatedly claimed credit for the ceasefire, clearly indicates that India yielded under US pressure.
Clash over historical references
The BJP cited several historical instances. They argued that Congress surrendered to the Muslim League in 1947, left POK with Pakistan despite the 1971 victory, and continued talks with Pakistan after the 26/11 attacks.
Sudhanshu Trivedi said that even when India made 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrender, the Congress government did not reclaim POK. He termed Rahul Gandhi as the symbol of the "Surrender Congress."
Congress accuses failure in foreign policy
The Congress launched a b attack on the Modi government's foreign policy. Pawan Khera said that the US made a call, and Prime Minister Modi immediately implemented a ceasefire. Khera asked, "Has our foreign policy become so weak that we kneel down at a trade threat?"
He also alleged that Kuwait signed a visa agreement with Pakistan after Operation Sindhudurg, despite a large number of Indian workers there. This, he said, symbolizes India's diplomatic failure.
The PM is not the nation; the nation is 140 crore people
The Congress also accused the BJP of equating Modi with the nation, while in reality, the Prime Minister is not the nation. Khera said, "This nation is 140 crore people, Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the country, not the country itself. A compromise has been made with the honor of the country, and the opposition is demanding an answer."
