Latest news with #SimlaAgreement
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Congress demands special Parliament session after military chief's statement on Operation Sindoor
The Congress on Saturday demanded a special Parliament session to discuss the four-day conflict with Pakistan, accusing the Union government of 'misleading the nation'. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said on social media that in the wake of the comments made by Chief Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, there were 'very important questions' that needed to be asked. 'These can only be done if a special Session of the Parliament is immediately convened,' Kharge added. On Saturday, in comments viewed by some as an acknowledgement of the Indian Air Force having lost aircraft during Operation Sindoor, Chauhan told Bloomberg that what was important was 'not the jet being down, but why they were being down '. 'The good part is that we are able to understand the tactical mistake which we made, remedy it, rectify it, and then implement it again after two days and flew all our jets again, targeting at long range,' the chief of defence staff was quoted as saying. However, he said that Pakistan's claims of having shot down six Indian Air Force fighter jets was 'absolutely incorrect'. The claims made by Islamabad have not been independently verified. Chauhan also told Reuters that India had suffered losses in the air in the 'initial stages', but that the tactics were rectified and the Air Force 'flew all types of aircraft with all types of ordinances' later during the conflict. Kharge also said on Saturday that the Congress was demanding a comprehensive review of India's defence preparedness by an independent expert committee, on lines of the survey conducted by the Kargil Review Committee. The committee was set up by the Union government after the 1999 Kargil War. The Congress chief also said that United States President Donald Trump had repeatedly claimed that Washington had brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan on May 10. 'This is a direct affront to the Simla Agreement,' the Congress leader said. In the wake of the remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in Singapore in an interview, there are some very important questions which need to be asked. These can only be asked if a Special Session of the Parliament is immediately convened. The Modi Govt has misled the… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 31, 2025 Tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad escalated on May 7 when the Indian military carried out strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 persons on April 22. The Pakistan Army retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 22 Indian civilians and seven defence personnel were killed. India and Pakistan on May 10 reached an 'understanding' to halt firing following the four-day conflict. The announcement by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri came minutes after Trump claimed on social media that New Delhi and Islamabad had agreed to the ceasefire. The US president had claimed that the ceasefire talks were mediated by Washington. However, India said that the decision to stop the firing was 'worked out directly between the two countries', a position New Delhi has maintained.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Govt declared ceasefire without consulting armed forces: Himachal CM
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while targeting the Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that ceasefire was declared without consulting the armed forces. Addressing the 'Jai Hind Sabha' at Shimla, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, 'Our brave soldiers gave a befitting reply to the terrorists. However, the Union government declared a ceasefire without taking the three armed forces into confidence.' Drawing a parallel between former Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi and PM Narendra Modi, Sukhu said, 'Shockingly, the announcement came through social media from a third country. This is in a stark contrast to the decisive leadership of former PM Indira Gandhi, who never compromised with the national security.' Sharing a recent experience, the CM mentioned his visit to Sharchi village in the Tirthan Valley, in Kullu where he stayed at the home of former soldier Subedar Major Anoop Ram. The CM stated that Anoop Kumar discussed with him about the 1971 India-Pakistan war and he recalled how the address of the then PM Indira Gandhi instilled patriotic zeal and boosted the morale of the Indian Army. The outcome of that war was historic and India split Pakistan into two, and Shimla later became the witness to the landmark Simla Agreement, he said. Sukhu said that the valour of the soldiers of Himachal Pradesh was unmatched. 'Our soldiers never hesitated to sacrifice their lives for the Nation. Himachali soldiers have the honour of being decorated with four Param Vir Chakra, which is a testament to the state's legacy of courage and sacrifice,' he added. Paying tributes to soldiers, Sukhu said, 'Today is a day to salute the sacrifices of our brave soldiers who have laid down their lives for the country.' The CM further said that the leaders of the Congress party have made the supreme sacrifice for the country. 'Former PM Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi laid down their lives for the unity and integrity of India,' he said. Deputy CM Agnihotri Urges Adherence to Shimla Agreement Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri said, 'Only bilateral dialogue should be the way between India and Pakistan. However, the ceasefire was recently announced by the US President. I appeal to the Union government to stick to the Simla Agreement.' Agnihotri added that 1,203 medals had been awarded to jawans from Himachal, including four Param Vir Chakras and two Ashok Chakras. Credit should be given to the forces not politicians: Maken As part of a nationwide initiative to honour Indian soldiers and martyrs, the Indian National Congress launched the Jai Hind Sabha across 15 key locations in the country, with the main event held in Shimla symbolically chosen for its association with the historic 1972 Simla Agreement. 'The credit for India's military victories belongs solely to our armed forces, not to politicians,' said Ajay Maken, senior Congress leader and AICC Treasurer. 'Congress party has decided to organise Jai Hind Sabha across the country in 15 places. The forces have an important role, and Indian soldiers have always defeated Pakistan on its own soil. The Congress party has never politicised their sacrifice, credit should be given to the forces,' Maken said. 'It is unfortunate that not a single nation criticised the act done by Pakistan. That is a shortcoming of our foreign policy,' he said. We are with the forces: Rajani Patil Rajya Sabha MP Rajani Patil said, 'Shimla is of great importance due to the history of the Simla Agreement. Pakistan has now rejected the agreement. We would like to pay homage to the forces,' Patil said. 'We are with the forces and with the government when it comes to national interest,' she added. Jai Hind Sabha to be held in all districts: Pratibha Himachal Congress Committee president Pratibha Singh said, 'We have won all three wars against Pakistan. Shimla is an important place due to the Simla Agreement, and I would like to pay homage to the armed forces. Such programmes will be held across all districts,' she said. 'The Constitution needs to be protected,' she added.
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Ceasefire with Pak announced without consulting armed forces: Sukhvinder Sukhu
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday alleged that the Central government declared a ceasefire with Pakistan without taking the three armed forces into confidence and said the "announcement came through social media from a third country"."The Union government declared a ceasefire without taking the three armed forces into confidence and shockingly, the announcement came through social media from a third country," he said addressing the 'Jai Hind Sabha' chief minister said this is in stark contrast to the decisive leadership of former prime minister late Indira Gandhi, who never compromised with national security. Recalling the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, Sukhu said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was the first to offer unconditional support to the Union government in the fight against terrorism, a statement issued here said."Our brave soldiers gave a befitting reply to the terrorists," said Sukhu and paid heartfelt tributes to the brave soldiers of Himachal Pradesh and the Himachal Pradesh government and people of the state have always stood with the Indian armed forces, he carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack the Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian forces launched a fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani military and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the military confrontation after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile a recent experience, the chief minister mentioned his recent visit to Sharchi village in Tirthan Valley, where he stayed at the home of former soldier -- Subedar Major Anoop Ram."Anoop Kumar discussed with me about the 1971 India-Pakistan war and recalled how the address of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi instilled patriotic zeal and boosted the morale of the Indian Army. The outcome of that war was historic and India split Pakistan into two, and Shimla later became witness to the landmark Simla Agreement," he Simla Agreement was a peace treaty signed between India and Pakistan on July 2, 1972 in Shimla. It followed the India-Pakistan war of said that the valour of the soldiers of Himachal Pradesh was unmatched."Our soldiers never hesitated to sacrifice their lives for the nation. Himachali soldiers have the honour of being decorated with four Param Vir Chakras, which is a testament to the state's legacy of courage and sacrifice," he Congress MP Ajay Maken said that several surgical strikes were carried in 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014, and Pakistan was taught a lesson, but his party never politicised it as the credit goes to the Indian armed is always the brave soldiers, who sacrifice their lives for the nation, but the Congress never boasted of it or took credit, he Rajni Patil, the Congress' in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, said that senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have given instructions to organise 'Jai Hind Sabha'.The valour of the Indian Army is being honored through these meetings, she Congress leader said that the entire nation stood with the army and the Centre in the fight against terrorism, but it was "unfortunate" that the ceasefire was announced by a third Congress chief Pratibha Singh echoed similar sentiments and said that the party has decided to organise such programs at the district level as kin of martyrs, soldiers and various gallantry award recipients, who have made the supreme sacrifice for the country, were also honoured on the chief minister presented a cheque of Rs 30 lakh to the kin of martyr Subedar Major Pawan, who died in shelling by the Pakistan Army in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch on May cheque was received by his father Garaj Singh and son Abhishek. Must Watch
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Centre Announced Ceasefire Without Consulting Armed Forces: Himachal CM Sukhu
Last Updated: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the valour of the soldiers of Himachal Pradesh was unmatched. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday alleged that the Central government declared a ceasefire with Pakistan without taking the three armed forces into confidence and said the "announcement came through social media from a third country". "The Union government declared a ceasefire without taking the three armed forces into confidence and shockingly, the announcement came through social media from a third country," he said addressing the 'Jai Hind Sabha' here. The chief minister said this is in stark contrast to the decisive leadership of former prime minister late Indira Gandhi, who never compromised with national security. Recalling the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, Sukhu said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was the first to offer unconditional support to the Union government in the fight against terrorism, a statement issued here said. "Our brave soldiers gave a befitting reply to the terrorists," said Sukhu and paid heartfelt tributes to the brave soldiers of Himachal Pradesh and the nation. The Himachal Pradesh government and people of the state have always stood with the Indian armed forces, he added. India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack the Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian forces launched a fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani military installations. Sharing a recent experience, the chief minister mentioned his recent visit to Sharchi village in Tirthan Valley, where he stayed at the home of former soldier — Subedar Major Anoop Ram. "Anoop Kumar discussed with me about the 1971 India-Pakistan war and recalled how the address of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi instilled patriotic zeal and boosted the morale of the Indian Army. The outcome of that war was historic and India split Pakistan into two, and Shimla later became witness to the landmark Simla Agreement," he said. The Simla Agreement was a peace treaty signed between India and Pakistan on July 2, 1972 in Shimla. It followed the India-Pakistan war of 1971. Sukhu said that the valour of the soldiers of Himachal Pradesh was unmatched. "Our soldiers never hesitated to sacrifice their lives for the nation. Himachali soldiers have the honour of being decorated with four Param Vir Chakras, which is a testament to the state's legacy of courage and sacrifice," he added. Meanwhile, Congress MP Ajay Maken said that several surgical strikes were carried in 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014, and Pakistan was taught a lesson, but his party never politicised it as the credit goes to the Indian armed forces. It is always the brave soldiers, who sacrifice their lives for the nation, but the Congress never boasted of it or took credit, he added. MP Rajni Patil, the Congress' in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, said that senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have given instructions to organise 'Jai Hind Sabha'. The valour of the Indian Army is being honored through these meetings, she added. The Congress leader said that the entire nation stood with the army and the Centre in the fight against terrorism, but it was "unfortunate" that the ceasefire was announced by a third country. State Congress chief Pratibha Singh echoed similar sentiments and said that the party has decided to organise such programs at the district level as well. The kin of martyrs, soldiers and various gallantry award recipients, who have made the supreme sacrifice for the country, were also honoured on the occasion. The chief minister presented a cheque of Rs 30 lakh to the kin of martyr Subedar Major Pawan, who died in shelling by the Pakistan Army in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch on May 10. The cheque was received by his father Garaj Singh and son Abhishek. First Published: May 30, 2025, 23:13 IST News india Centre Announced Ceasefire Without Consulting Armed Forces: Himachal CM Sukhu
The Print
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Exhuming the past: BJP targets decisions of previous govts to singe Congress in Op Sindoor slugfest
And leading from the front, especially on social media, is none other than its firebrand MP Nishikant Dubey, who has been posting a raft of posts against the Congress and the Gandhis. Joining forces with the Godda MP are the likes of Amit Malviya and Shehzad Poonawalla. After the Congress attacked foreign minister S. Jaishankar accusing him of 'informing' Pakistan about Operation Sindoor, the BJP has hit back, questioning and criticising the foreign policy initiatives of the past Congress-led governments. New Delhi: Diplomatic talks, agreements and foreign policy decisions of the past governments have come to the centre of the ongoing political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress over Operation Sindoor. Additionally, the BJP has been taking on Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for his question on how many fighter jets were lost during Operation Sindoor and for criticising the decisions of Jaishankar. Much of these charges against the Congress leaders of the past—be it Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira, Rajiv Gandhi, Narashimha Rao and Manmohan Singh—seemingly cannot be taken at face value given the political rhetoric involved in the slugfest with the Congress party. Of late, Dubey has been posting a clutch of declassified US documents to make various statements ranging from the 1972 Simla Agreement to Operation Brasstacks, a military exercise carried out by the Indian armed forces in 1986-87. For instance, the BJP MP has shared on 'X' a declassified 1963 telegram message of the US State Department to claim that Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were responsible for decisions that led to territorial concessions to Pakistan. Meetings were held between 1962 and 1964 between Swaran Singh and Pakistan's Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he posted. Dubey further claimed that India had decided to give back to Pakistan the territory forcibly occupied in Poonch and Uri. 'The matter did not stop at this; the entire Neelam and Kishanganga valley in Gurez was made the international border along with the Line of Control (LoC),' he added. Similarly, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has slammed the Congress for its willingness to 'hand over a large part of J&K to Pakistan in the 1960s under foreign pressure.' In his memoir, 'Outside the Archives', a foreign secretary under Nehru, writes: 'Thus it was that on February 10, 1963, in Karachi, the 'Kashmir' map was on the table between Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's PM, and Sardar Swaran Singh. Our delegation asked Bhutto to show on the map what he actually wanted. Bhutto leaned over the table and pointed to the little town of Kathua on the Kashmir-Himachal border. He drew a circle somewhere there with his forefinger and said, 'You can have this part of Kashmir. We want the rest'.' Held in the aftermath of 1962 India-China War, six sessions were held but they ended in a stalemate as Pakistan insisted on its demands for a territorial settlement. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera has slammed the BJP MP for quoting Pakistan's Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to attack Congress. '…And this broker-turned-pseudo-historian should know that Sardar Swaran Singh and Mr. Bhutto had six rounds of talks in 1963 but all in India and Pakistan. Not in a 'neutral site' as was mentioned as part of the ceasefire on May 10th 2025 by Jaishankar's friend US Secretary of State Marco Rubio,' he posted on 'X'. In another post on 'X', Khera lampooned the Godda MP, saying that he was 'being fed with US archival material'. He suggested that Dubey read books by military historian Srinath Raghavan and former diplomat Chandrasekhar Dasgupta to understand the full history of 1971. Dubey, meanwhile, has gone on to make various claims. He has alleged that the Congress under Indira gave away 828 sq km of Gujarat's Rann of Kutch to Pakistan after winning the 1965 war. He has further claimed that PM Manmohan Singh had almost reached an agreement with Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf in 2007 to give up Siachen. Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed has slammed the Modi government for its tactics to deploy its functionaries like Dubey for taking on the opposition party. 'On one hand, PM Modi is saying the opposition and government are on one page on national security issues and on the other hand, he is allowing others like Nishikant Dubey and Amit Malviya to attack the Congress,' she told ThePrint. 'Nishikant does not believe in the Constitution; he raised a question mark on the Supreme Court (on the Waqf law and for setting a timeline for the President to clear Bills). The attack is happening on behalf of Modi.' Also Read: Nadda draws the line, but unease over Supreme Court's moves continues to simmer within BJP No-holds barred attack These statements, however, have not stopped the BJP functionaries from taking swipes at the Congress on episodes like the Sharm el-Sheikh memorandum of 2009. Dubey has attacked former prime minister Manmohan Singh for certifying that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism. 'An extremely shameful incident occurred in Sharm el-Sheikh when the then Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, embraced Pakistan's President Musharraf and issued a joint statement claiming that, like India, Pakistan too is grappling with terrorism. Giving such a big certificate to a terrorist nation? This is the dark chapter of Congress, this is the truth,' he tweeted last week. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya has trained his guns twice on Rajiv Gandhi—for putting out details of Operation Brasstacks and for 'compromising' India's nuclear doctrine. 'In 1988, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi signed an agreement with Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto that compromised India's nuclear doctrine before it was even formally established,' he posted on 'X'. 'While it was framed as a confidence-building measure, in reality, it revealed India's nuclear infrastructure to an adversary that has repeatedly sponsored terrorism and conflict.' In her book, 'Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy, and the West,' Benazir has called the 1988 agreement a 'remarkable treaty'. 'In foreign policy, we made broad overtures even to those who had been our adversaries—and, of course, to those who had stood by us in the past. I am particularly proud of our work with Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, building on the progress in Pakistan-Indian relations that our parents had established in the Simla Accord,' she writes. 'Rajiv and I negotiated a remarkable treaty committing our nations not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. This was the first nuclear confidence-building treaty between Pakistan and India.' Former Indian diplomat Vivek Katju explained the nuances behind the signing of 'Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between India and Pakistan' in 1988. 'Any agreement is done to boost bilateral relations. Since a nuclear plant has radioactive material, countries exchange information about their plants to avoid any mishappening or misadventure. If a leak happens, thousands of people can die. So such an agreement is executed to avoid such risks. It cannot be called a compromise of national security,' Katju, who served as secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) from 2009 to 2011, told ThePrint. As for Malviya, the BJP IT cell head has dragged Rajiv Gandhi in one of his long posts on how Operation Brasstacks 'was derailed not by strategy, but by political weakness.' 'The exercise was no secret. Pakistan was formally informed via military and diplomatic channels, including at the SAARC Summit in Bangalore where PM Rajiv Gandhi assured Pakistan's PM Junejo it was 'just an exercise',' Malviya claimed. 'Despite these reassurances, Pakistan escalated tensions by moving offensive troops across the Sutlej River, right up to Indian Punjab's border. On January 22, 1987, Pakistan crossed critical military thresholds while Khalistani extremists announced support for a separatist movement, raising fears of internal unrest. 'India, caught off guard, hesitated. On January 23, it finally deployed troops to the border—but just one day later, Rajiv Gandhi abruptly backtracked, announcing there would be no attack and opting for diplomacy instead,' he posted. Former ambassador to Pakistan, TCA Raghavan, in his book 'The People Next Door: The Curious History of India-Pakistan Relations', highlights the context of notifying each other in advance about military exercises. Pakistan diplomat Humayun Khan, he mentions, got a sense of the magnitude only when he was asked to meet minister of state for external affair Natwar Singh very early one morning. He was told that the Pakistan Army moved two divisions to Punjab border and that India regarded this as offensive move. Unless the troops went back to the peacetime locations within 24 hours, India wouldl be compelled to move its own forces. 'Humayun Khan was astounded at ultimatum and possibly doubly so because he had no reason to presume that such crisis was brewing over Operation Brasstacks. He conveyed to Islamabad that it would be tragedy if a conflict was to erupt nearly because of suspicion,' he writes. One of the results was a written agreement that both sides would in future notify each other in advance of military exercise being carried out, Raghavan adds. Dubey, meanwhile, accused the Congress of sharing information about military movement to Pakistan. 'The Congress, in 1991, supported the Chandrashekhar government that backed the pact. Later, the Congress-led Narasimha Rao government in 1994 implemented the pact requiring India to share army, navy and air force movement details with Pakistan. This is treason, and those responsible must face trial,' he said. Among other claims, the BJP MP has alleged that Indira Gandhi stopped the pension, vehicle, and facilities of General Sam Manekshaw despite the tradition of Field Marshals being entitled to these benefits for their entire lives. Appointed Army chief in June 1969, General Manekshaw had led the Indian Army to victory during the 1971 India-Pakistan War. He was promoted to the rank of field marshal in January 1973. Also Read: BJP-led NDA outlines game plan at key meet—Op Sindoor, caste census, Emergency & best practices 'They don't read…' A Congress veteran, who has also been a Union minister, deplored the tactics of digging out past episodes to score political brownie points. 'The problem with today's leaders is they don't read and respond accordingly. Several governments from Nehru to Manmohan Singh tried to resolve the Kashmir problem in their way and make peace with Pakistan. When all-party delegations are visiting across the world, the BJP allowed few leaders to score political points. During the Vajpayee rule, held back channel negotiations and the Chenab formula was discussed,' the Congress veteran told ThePrint. Mishra, a veteran journalist, was Vajpayee's point person for back-channel talks with Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's emissary Niaz Naik in 1999. '(Former diplomat) Satinder Lambah has written quoting G. Parthasarathy, the High Commissioner of India in Pakistan during Kargil (war), that New Delhi would agree to adjustment in LoC eventually being moved to the Chenab river basin,' the above-mentioned Congress functionary told ThePrint. 'Vajpayee was open to LoC as an international border if Pakistan didn't claim more land and was ready to stop the proxy war in J&K. But, it did not materialise. It means Vajpayee was ready to leave the claim on PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir). It was discussed in the CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) and with the envoy, but we never raised this to score brownie points.' Similarly, former Army chief General (retired) recounted how he had met former prime ministers Atal Bijhari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh after the 1999 Kargil War and requested them to keep the Army out of politics. 'The Vajpayee government was an interim one and election was around the corner. I had gone to meet the prime minister and requested him that please leave us alone. 'We are apolitical.' I had even met Manmohan Singh and requested the same. Both leaders agreed with my viewpoint. Today, I see political leaders indulge in mud slinging to score political points. It's sad,' the former Army chief told ThePrint. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Nishikant leads charge against Rahul after his Op Sindoor comments, accuses Gandhi family of 'deshdroh'
