BJP Demands Congress Apologise Over "Fake News" On Pak Army Chief

NDTV

8 hours ago

New Delhi:
The Congress claims that the US had invited Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir for a military parade hosted by President Donald Trump has landed the party in a huge controversy. Pointing out that the US has denied the "fake news", the BJP accused the Congress of becoming Pakistan's "mouthpiece" and embarrassing India in the international forum. A leader of the party has even questioned the foreign policy of the previous Congress governments.
"Jairam Ramesh claimed that Munir was going to the US and held a long press conference about it. But it turned out that Munir wasn't even going. This is how they mislead people, behaving like Pakistan's mouthpiece.... What is the difference between the Pakistan Muslim League and Jairam Ramesh?" the BJP's Nishikant Dubey told reporters.
In a post on X, Mr Dubey also slammed the foreign policy of successive Congress governments, pointing to the rise of Khalistani extremism and its international fallout.
As an example, he cited the case of Canada, which he said harboured Khalistani terrorists since the 1970s with little resistance from Congress-led governments. Between 1970 and 1984, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi wrote seven letters to Canadian PM Pierre Elliott Trudeau, seeking action against Khalistanis, but received no meaningful response, he claimed, and cited the Kanishka bombing as a fallout.
"The Congress party has once again danced to Pakistan's tune and this time, they've humiliated India on the global stage. Jairam Ramesh amplified fake news that Pakistan's Army Chief was invited to a Trump-hosted US Army parade. Turns out it was a lie," posted Sonu Nigam on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
The Parade
Saturday's parade in Washington -- billed as one of the largest military shows in the US -- is meant to showcase US defence capabilities and boost President Donald rump's image. It is considered unique since the US does not have a tradition of parades as on Republic Day in India or France's Bastille Day.
What Congress Said
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, among others, had claimed that the invite to Pakistan for Saturday's military parade in Washington is a "huge setback" for Indian diplomacy.
Citing a media report claiming an US invide to Asim Munir, Congress's communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said: "This is the man who spoke in such incendiary and provocative language just before the Pahalgam terror attacks. What is the US really up to? This is another huge diplomatic setback for India."
The White House Denial
Today, the White House denied that Asim Munir was invited. "This is false. No foreign military leaders were invited," a White House official said.