Madhya Pradesh CM slams Rahul's ‘surrender' remarks, seeks apology

The Hindu

2 days ago

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in Bhopal, in which the latter alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had 'immediately surrendered' in the recent India-Pakistan conflict following a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mr. Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, had made the remarks while addressing a gathering of Congress functionaries and leaders during his visit to the State capital on Tuesday (June 3, 2025).
'I know the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) people well now. You put a little pressure on them, they get scared and run away. For example, Trump gave a sign from there (the U.S.). [He] picked up the phone and said 'Narender, surrender', and Narendra Modi-ji obeyed Trump's directions,' Mr. Gandhi had said, in a reference to the perceived role of the U.S. in the ceasefire announced between India and Pakistan on May 10.
Slamming the Congress leader and seeking an apology from him, Mr. Yadav said that the remarks and 'his (Mr. Gandhi's) attitude' showed that he had 'not yet matured'.
'It is unfortunate, the way the Leader of Opposition speaks, leaving decorum behind. It not only tarnishes his reputation but also goes against the culture of our country... The words he has spoken about the Prime Minister show his frivolity,' Mr. Yadav said.
'MPs of his own party are talking about this (Operation Sindoor) but he is talking senselessly. The post of LoP is a graceful one. We don't tolerate such words in our State. He should apologise,' Mr. Yadav said.
The BJP leader said the Congress would 'pay the price' for Mr. Gandhi's statement. 'Only Congress knows where he will take the party, behaving like this,' he added.
Mr. Gandhi had made further remarks on the subject of surrender. 'This is their character. Since the time of Independence, they are used to writing the letter for surrender. They cave in after even a little amount of pressure. The Congress does not surrender. [Mahatma] Gandhi-ji, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, they are the people who don't surrender. They fight the superpowers,' the Congress leader said.
Recalling the 1971 Indo-Pak war, Mr. Gandhi had claimed that then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had not given in to pressure from the U.S.
'You must remember the time when the 7th fleet [of the U.S. Navy] with an aircraft carrier had come instead of a phone call. Indira Gandhi-ji said 'I will do what I have to'. This is the difference,' he said, adding that India had split Pakistan into two despite American pressure at the time.
Mr. Gandhi was in Bhopal to launch the 'Sangathan Srajan Abhiyan' (organisation rejuvenation campaign)' aimed at reorganising the party in Madhya Pradesh, where it has been out of power since 2003, barring a 15-month period between 2018 and 2020.
During his visit, Mr. Gandhi had also held four separate meetings with party leaders, office-bearers, and workers.