Opposition parties, in response to the ceasefire announced between India and Pakistan, urged the Narendra Modi government to share details of the ceasefire and demanded a special Parliament session to discuss the way forward.
Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh said in view of the “unprecedented announcements” from Washington D.C., there is now a need for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “chair an all-party meeting and take political parties into confidence”.
India-Pakistan ceasefire | Follow the Updates on May 10, 2025
“A special session of Parliament to discuss the events of the last eighteen days, beginning with the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks and the way forward, and to demonstrate a collective resolve,” Mr. Ramesh said in a post on X.
In a press statement, the Politbureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) noted the ceasefire announcement “positively”.
“The people of both the countries deserve peace for their progress and prosperity. We earnestly hope that the two countries build on this and ensure that the people do not have to suffer from the evil of terrorism,” the CPI (M) said, urging for steps to ensure that there is no further confrontation.
CPI general secretary D. Raja said that his party had consistently advocated for a ceasefire. Sharing a screenshot of U.S. President Donald Trump’s post on X, Mr Raja said, “We believe India and Pakistan have the maturity to address their issues bilaterally, without interference by Donald Trump and the USA. It is for Prime Minister Modi to tell the nation and our people what was the ‘mediation’ done by the USA?”
CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Dipankar Bhattacharya pointed out President Trump made the announcement even before officials from India and Pakistan corroborated it.
“Wish the two regimes listened to their own people and did not leave room for American intervention. Shame on the dominant media in India and Pakistan which were busy whipping up war hysteria, spreading fake news to claim victory and celebrate and sell war as entertainment,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.
The ceasefire should be seen as the first step towards de-escalation, restoring full diplomatic relations, and bringing the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack to justice, the CPI leader added.
Taking to social media platform X, Congress MP Manish Tewari said that the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to hold further talks at a “neutral venue on a broad set of issues”.
Saturday’s (May 11, 2025) development also led many Congress leaders to make a comparison between former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s “tough stance” during the 1971 war with the present crisis.
Sharing Ms. Gandhi’s letter of December 12, 1971, to President Richard Nixon on his X handle, Mr Ramesh said, “She ensured that there was no ‘neutral site’ which has now been agreed to”.
“India misses Indira,” Congress’ Pawan Khera added.
Credit: The Hindu
