NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence following fresh comments made by US President Donald Trump about mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. This time, Trump went a step ahead and claimed that ‘five jets were shot down’ in the conflict.Sharing a video of Trump’s remarks, Gandhi posted on X: “Modi ji, what is the truth about the 5 jets? The nation has a right to know!”Rahul’s post came as Trump, in what is now his 24th such claim, said at a private Republican dinner that he helped stop a war between India and Pakistan using trade threats. Trump claimed that “planes were being shot out of the air… five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down, actually.”Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram also criticised the government’s silence. “After President Trump’s latest statement, what does the government of India have to say? Silence is no answer,” he wrote on X. “I would like to believe the government of India, but if the government does not state the truth — actually does not say anything at all on the outcomes of the 5-day war — what do we believe?”, he added.The Congress party earlier said PM Modi’s silence was a compromise of India’s national honour. “Trump keeps repeating this, and PM Modi remains silent. Why is the nation’s honour being bartered for trade?” the party posted.Congress MP Jairam Ramesh also weighed in and said that the PM must make a statement in Parliament. “Just two days before the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins, the Trump missile gets fired for the 24th time,” he said, highlighting Trump’s repeated claims that a potential nuclear conflict was stopped due to US pressure linked to trade talks.Ramesh also referred to PM Modi’s past closeness with Trump, including events like ‘Howdy Modi’ in 2019 and ‘Namaste Trump’ in 2020. “The Prime Minister must respond himself in Parliament. No substitute batsman will do,” he added.Trump has claimed multiple times that he used trade pressure to stop escalating tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking nine terror camps. Pakistan retaliated with drones and missiles, which were intercepted by Indian air defences. India later targeted 11 Pakistani airbases in precision strikes.Though Trump insists his trade warnings helped prevent further escalation, India maintains that the ceasefire came after Pakistan’s director general of military operations reached out to his Indian counterpart.
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