Congress slams Jaishankar over evasive response to Trump mediation query

KARACHI: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar faced sharp criticism from opposition parties and scrutiny on social media after an uncomfortable exchange with a foreign journalist who questioned the role of the US and President Donald Trump in easing recent tensions between India and Pakistan.

During the interview, the journalist pressed Jaishankar on whether Trump helped facilitate a de-escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The questions intensified as the reporter asked, “Have you arrested the killers of the 26 people in Pahalgam? Is an operation underway to apprehend them? What role did the US play in this entire process?”

While Jaishankar acknowledged the US role in defusing the situation, his responses were seen as evasive. At one point, he remarked that the US “was in the United States during the process”.

The exchange has gone viral on Indian social media, with BJP supporters -- often referred to as ‘bhakt trolls’ -- praising Jaishankar’s response. However, opposition parties, particularly the Indian National Congress, are using the moment to highlight what they see as the government’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Congress posted a short clip of the interview on its social media accounts, drawing attention to Jaishankar’s apparent discomfort as the journalist raised the issue of Operation Sindoor. “Why is the foreign minister’s tongue [language] failing?” the Congress asked on X (formerly Twitter).

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took to social media to challenge the government, writing on X: “Who invited the US president to mediate? Why has not a single major country voiced support for us? Why is the Modi government still silent on these issues?”

The controversy stems in part from a May 10 post by US President Donald Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, in which he announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire. While Pakistan appeared to confirm the development, India has offered mixed signals -- alternately acknowledging and denying Washington’s role in the mediation.

The Congress party has seized on the ambiguity, stepping up its criticism of both the BJP government and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a post on Saturday, the party juxtaposed Rahul Gandhi’s and PM Modi’s actions in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, calling it a case of “One Nation, Two Leaders”.

“After the Pahalgam Attack: LoP Rahul Gandhi ji rushed to Kashmir, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the grieving families of victims... PM Modi, on the other hand, was clearly absent. He skipped an all-party meeting... and was seen mingling with Bollywood stars”, the post read.

The party continued its critique by contrasting Modi’s and Gandhi’s responses to Operation Sindoor. While Gandhi called for a special parliamentary session and questioned the ceasefire and the government’s faith in Pakistan, the party alleged that Modi remained silent on Trump’s role and instead delivered “scripted Bollywood-style dialogues like ‘Garam Sindoor’.”

The statement concluded by highlighting Gandhi’s visit to Poonch to support victims of cross-border shelling, while accusing Modi of using the operation for self-promotion. “The Difference is clear. Two leaders -- One chooses empathy and accountability, and the other turns the nation’s crisis into a personal campaign”, the party declared.