Why Did Congress Call Trump’s Kashmir Offer ‘Dangerous’?

Synopsis
The Congress party has expressed serious doubts about US President Trump's recent offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue, labeling it as 'dangerous.' Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot questions the Indian government's silence, urging clarity on Trump's role amid rising political tensions post-Operation Sindoor.
Key Takeaways
- Gehlot's concerns reflect broader unease within the Congress about Trump's proposal.
- Operation Sindoor aimed to counteract terrorism in the region.
- The Simla Agreement asserts no third-party involvement.
- Political ramifications are significant with rising opposition against the government's silence.
- Ongoing tensions in Kashmir remain a focal point for India-Pakistan relations.
New Delhi, May 13 (NationPress) Ashok Gehlot, the former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, expressed the Congress party's apprehensions regarding the abrupt ceasefire agreement during Operation Sindoor. He labeled US President Donald Trump’s proposal to assist with the Kashmir issue as 'dangerous'.
Gehlot raised questions about why the government is permitting Trump to intervene in this matter.
While speaking to reporters, he urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs to clarify the role Trump claimed to have played in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
“I am concerned that PM Modi has not addressed Trump’s tweets,” he remarked, alluding to the US President's proposition to assist on Kashmir.
“The Simla Agreement stipulated that no third party would intervene, yet Trump has entered the discussion. We remain unclear whether his involvement is with the Indian government's consent,” he stated.
Gehlot criticized the government for its silence regarding the motivations behind Trump's sudden engagement on Kashmir.
Denouncing Trump's offer as a perilous development, he questioned, “Why aren’t we disclosing specific reasons for permitting Trump’s involvement?”
In a subtle jab at the government for potentially exploiting Operation Sindoor for political gain, Gehlot asserted that the armed forces have consistently upheld the nation's honor, a tradition that spans decades, including during the Congress-led governments that witnessed the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.
Previously on Saturday, Trump took to social media to declare a US-mediated “immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan following four days of New Delhi's Operation Sindoor.
In a subsequent post, the US President offered to mediate on the Kashmir issue. "I will collaborate with both of you to see if, after a millennia, a resolution regarding Kashmir can be achieved," he mentioned in a social media statement that has now provided ammunition to opposition parties in India against the government.
India initiated the four-day-long Operation Sindoor on May 7 to target nine terror hubs located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities on April 22.