Did Centre allow third-party mediation in Kashmir issue? Congress raises questions; Rahul, Kharge write to PM

NEW DELHI: The Congress party has taken a firm stand, stating that third-party mediation in the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan is unacceptable. The party also demanded that the central government should clarify whether it had allowed such mediation. Party working committee member Sachin Pilot raised these concerns during a press conference.

This follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on X, stating that he had mediated and facilitated a ceasefire between the two nations. Both India and Pakistan confirmed the development after Trump’s post.

Sachin Pilot said Trump’s ceasefire declaration came as a surprise and stressed that the nation has a right to know whether the central government had agreed to such mediation and, if so, under what terms.

Key questions raised by Congress:

1. Has the central government opened the door for third-party mediation?
2. Has the Simla Agreement, which rules out even UN mediation, been disregarded?
3. Have India and Pakistan reestablished diplomatic ties?
4. What did India demand from Pakistan, and what was achieved in return?

Request for special Parliament session
Congress reiterated its demand to convene a special session of Parliament and an all-party meeting to discuss Operation Sindoor, the U.S. mediation claim, and the ceasefire agreement. Letters were sent by Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha Opposition Leader Mallikarjun Kharge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to provide a direct explanation.

Current situation is different from 1971: Shashi Tharoor
Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stirred controversy within his party by contrasting the current situation with the 1971 India-Pakistan war. While the Congress has been praising former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and criticising Modi, Tharoor noted that the current situation is markedly different from 1971. He emphasised that the conflict is at a point where unnecessary escalation must be avoided and peace is vital for the nation. He added that the goal was to teach terrorists a lesson—and that goal has been achieved.