Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched a massive attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Operation Sindoor debate, saying the “exercise was to protect the PM’s image.”
He said: “This entire discussion is around the tragic loss of lives in Pahalgam. It’s disturbing that even yesterday, amidst all the discussions, the victims of the Pahalgam attack were barely mentioned. Let’s ensure India isn’t reduced to a mere battlefield for global powers to fight their battles. We must navigate these complexities while protecting our national interests.”
“To the prime minister, the nation is above your image, above your politics and above your PR. The forces are above your image and PR and politics. Have the humility and dignity to understand that,” Gandhi said.
Participating in the special discussion on “India’s strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam” in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in his speech on Monday (July 28, 2025), had compared Operation Sindoor to the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. “But there was political will in 1971. The U.S. seventh fleet was on its way towards India and then the Prime Minister said we will do what we want to. The superpower was coming, but the PM says we don’t care.”
Senior Congress leader also pointed out that while all countries as mentioned by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar condemned terror, not a single country condemned Pakistan post the Pahalgam attack, which meant that the world was equating India with Pakistan.
He said that Jaishankar liked to use the phrase “new normal”. The “new normal” was that the chief architect of the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan’s General Muneer, had lunch with U.S. President Donald Trump, he said.
Gandhi challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to say in his speech that President Trump was lying when he claimed to have brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. “If he (PM) has the courage of Indira Gandhi, then let him say here that ‘Donald Trump, you are a liar’ and that ‘we did not lose any planes’. Even if he has 50% courage of Indira Gandhi…(he should say so)”.
Listen to his full speech:
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