Rahul Gandhi Slams Jaishankar Over Operation Sindoor; MEA Fires Back

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday once again aimed External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar over Operation Sindoor, demanding clarity on who had requested former U.S. President Donald Trump to mediate between India and Pakistan.

In a post on X, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha re-shared a video clip originally posted by the Congress party, featuring External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar responding to questions about Operation Sindoor and former U.S. President Donald Trump's role as a mediator in the India-Pakistan ceasefire during an interview.

In the post, the Congress questioned, “Why is his tongue faltering?”, implying that Jaishankar was struggling to respond effectively to the questions.

In his post, Rahul Gandhi wrote, “Will JJ explain: Why is India being hyphenated with Pakistan? Why didn’t a single country support us in condemning Pakistan? Who invited Trump to ‘mediate’ between India and Pakistan? India’s foreign policy is in shambles.”

Over the past week, Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly questioned S. Jaishankar over foreign policy decisions concerning the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict and issues related to cross-border terrorism.

Rahul Gandhi Turns Up Heat on Jaishankar Over Operation Sindoor

Rahul Gandhi had earlier criticised External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for withholding details about an Indian aircraft allegedly lost during Operation Sindoor, further alleging that informing Pakistan at the outset of the operation was not just a mistake but a “crime.”

In a follow-up post on X, he stated, “EAM Jaishankar’s silence isn’t just telling — it’s damning. So I’ll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan was forewarned? This wasn’t a lapse; it was a crime. The nation deserves the truth.”

MEA Breaks Silence: Official Response Emerges

The MEA responded to Gandhi's claims with a statement clarifying, "The External Affairs Minister had said that Pakistan was warned during the early phase after Operation Sindoor began. This is being falsely portrayed as a warning given before the operation’s commencement. We strongly reject this deliberate misrepresentation of facts."

Additionally, the PIB’s fact-checking unit refuted the Leader of Opposition’s claims that Jaishankar had shared advance information with Pakistan, stating, “The External Affairs Minister is being misquoted; he never made such a statement.”

Also Read: Assam CM Flags Congress MP’s Pakistan Link, Urges Rahul Gandhi to Rethink Delegation Picks