Speaking on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that there was no call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump from April 22 to June 17.
The Operation Sindoor was launched against Pakistan by the Indian government in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. US President Donald Trump had claimed multiple times that he brokered the truce between India and Pakistan.
Criticism of the Opposition, the external affairs minister said, “We were asked, why did you stop at this time? Why did you not go further? This question is being asked by people who, after 26/11, felt that the best action was inaction.”
“26/11 happened in November 2008. What was the reaction? The reaction was Sharm-el-Sheikh. In Sharm-el-Sheikh, the then government and the Pakistani Prime Minister agreed that terrorism is a main threat to both countries, “He added.
Responding to Congress MP Deependra Hooda, Jaishankar said People today are saying America is hyphenating you, Russia is hyphenating you, that is what I heard Deepender Hooda ji say. You are hyphenating yourself. You did not need a foreign country to say please link India to Pakistan. And worst of all, they accepted a reference to Balochistan in that.
On efforts initiated for creating a narrative, the EAM said, “From 25th April till the commencement of Operation Sindoor, there were several phone calls and conversations. At my level, there were 27 calls. At PM Modi’s level, almost 20 calls. About 35-40 letters of support came in, and what we tried to do was to create a narrative and prepare the diplomacy for the launch of Operation Sindoor. There are 193 nations in the United Nations; only 3 countries, apart from Pakistan, opposed Operation Sindoor.”
Terming Operation Sindoor as a new normal, Jaishankar said, “The new normal has five points-
- Terrorists will not be treated as proxies.
- Cross-border terrorism will get an appropriate response.
- Terror and talks are not possible together. There will only be talks on terror.
- Not yielding to nuclear blackmail.
- Terror and good neighbourliness cannot coexist. Blood and water cannot flow together.
Concluding his speech, Jaishankar said, “We had seven parliamentary delegations which went to 33 countries. Some comments were made about those delegations. Those delegations were received with great honour. They were able to explain to the whole world our posture of zero tolerance against terrorism.”
“There are 193 nations in the United Nations, only 3 countries apart from Pakistan opposed Operation Sindoor, “He added.
