Congress to take out rallies against PM's 'silence on halting Op Sindoor'

The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of "politicising" Operation Sindoor and said it would take out rallies across the country to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on US President Donald Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the "halting" of Operation Sindoor.

Addressing a joint press conference after a meeting of senior party leaders, Congress MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh and the party's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the BJP was trying to make the military action a "brand" for itself when the operation belongs to the armed forces and the country.

The Congress announced that in the coming days, 'Jai Hind' rallies will be held in various states to demand answers from the government, and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi will address a press conference in Delhi on Friday.

The Congress made the assertions after a meeting of senior leaders, including Gandhi, Congress MP and general-secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, Ramesh, MP and general-secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and MP and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot among others, at its 24 Akbar Road office in Delhi.

Resolution Adopted by the Congress Working Committee on May 14, 2025

The Congress Working Committee expresses its deepest condolences to the martyred soldiers, officers, civilians killed in Poonch, and their families. The nation stands united in grief and resolve. The Indian…

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 14, 2025

Ramesh said a resolution was passed by the party at the meeting. "It was the third meeting of senior Congress leaders in the last 20 days. A resolution was also passed. Since the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi ji have been talking of unity; they gave full support to the government and welcomed Operation Sindoor," Ramesh said.

"They (Kharge and Gandhi) said we are standing with the government and armed forces resolutely. They expressed support for action against Pakistan. We demanded an all-party meeting, and two meetings were held, but the PM was not present. These meetings were a mere formality," he said.

The Congress president and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi have written to the prime minister for a special session so that a discussion takes place on the Pahalgam terror attack to send a message of collective resolve. "It is an occasion to reiterate the resolution passed unanimously on February 22, 1994, on PoK," Ramesh said.

The Congress has been raising questions as to why US President Trump made the announcement of the ceasefire, which was unprecedented, Ramesh said. "The prime minister does not say anything on this," he said.

जैसा कि आप जानते हैं, अलग-अलग राज्यों में कांग्रेस पार्टी ‘संविधान बचाओ रैली’ कर रही है। देश के करीब 14 राज्यों में रैलियां हो चुकी हैं।

कल राहुल गांधी जी बिहार में होंगे और सामाजिक न्याय, जातिगत जनगणना को लेकर जो सवाल और मुद्दे उन्होंने उठाए हैं, उसे लेकर बिहार के अलग-अलग… pic.twitter.com/GOcfLoIPx5

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 14, 2025

Pointing to media reports, Ramesh said the prime minister was meeting NDA chief ministers on 25 May, but non-NDA CMs had been left out. "There should be no politicisation of Operation Sindoor. Why is the PM only holding a meeting of NDA chief ministers on 25 May? Why not opposition-ruled states and their chief ministers?" he asked. "Is this politicisation or not?"

Ramesh also accused the BJP of politicising Operation Sindoor. "We condemn the politicisation in the strongest terms," he said.

He said the BJP was indulging in "maximum silence on real issues and maximum politicisation".

"We said again and again and demanded an all-party meeting. The PM was not available at any of the two all-party meetings. He did not even make a guest appearance. They were held only as a formality," Ramesh said.

"Why does the PM not take the country into confidence on the role of America? US President Trump has once again stated that he mediated. Why is the PM silent on this?" he asked.

Ramesh said an all-party meeting chaired by the PM should be convened and a special session of Parliament called. "On the one hand, Kharge ji and Rahul ji are talking of unity, and on the other hand, the PM is silent and not agreeing to attend an all-party meeting," he said.