Cong demands all-party meeting chaired by PM to discuss India-Pakistan tensions

Amid ongoing IndiaPakistan tensions the Congress on Sunday demanded that an allparty meeting chaired by the prime minister be held and a special session of Parliament convened for a detailed discussion on the Pahalgam incident Operation Sindoor and the understanding reached between India and Pakistan to stop all firing and military actionCongress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed several questions to the government including whether New Delhi has opened the doors to third party intervention between India and Pakistan and whether diplomatic channels with Pakistan have been openedHis remarks came after India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land air and sea with immediate effect after four days of intense crossborder drone and missile strikesIn a post on X he said The Indian National Congress reiterates its demand for an allparty meet chaired by the PM and for a special session of Parliament for a full discussion on Pahalgam Operation Sindoor and the ceasefire announcements made from Washington DC first and then subsequently by the Governments of India and PakistanRamesh said the Congress considers that the mention of neutral site by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for dialogue between India and Pakistan raises many questionsHave we abandoned the Simla Agreement Have we opened the doors to thirdparty mediation he askedThe Indian National Congress would like to ask if diplomatic channels between India and Pakistan are being reopened What commitments have we sought and got he askedThe Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday said there was no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other placeThis statement came after US Secretary of State Rubio said the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral siteThe Congress leader also referred to reported remarks of two former army chiefs V P Malik and Manoj Narwane on the understanding reached between India and Pakistan and said they demand answers from the prime minister himselfFinally the Indian National Congress believes it is but natural for the country to recall Indira Gandhi for her extraordinarily courageous and resolute leadership in 1971 Ramesh saidIn another post the Congress leader said On November 9 1981 the IMF approved a USD 58 billion loan to IndiaThe US had strong objections to it and had abstained from the Executive Board meeting But Indira Gandhi was able to persuade the IMF that the loan was necessary for India to be able to deal with the tripling of oil prices On Feb 29 1984 when Pranab Mukherjee presented the Budget she had got him to announce that India had concluded the IMF programme successfully and that it was NOT drawing about USD 13 billion of the amount approved This is perhaps unique in the annals of IMFs history Ramesh observedatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params