Trump’s Praise for Pakistan Army Chief Sparks Political Row in India
Congress questions Prime Minister Modi's foreign policy after the former US President's remarks.
New Delhi: A political debate has erupted in India after President Donald Trump praised Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir. India’s main opposition party, the Congress, used the opportunity to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, stating that its foreign policy has been exposed.
Jairam Ramesh, a senior leader of the Congress party, claimed that the time for “sloganeering, bragging, and spinning” in Indian diplomacy is over. In a social media post, he argued that the government’s narrative of being a “Vishwa Guru” (teacher to the world) has been completely unmasked.
“The challenges are significant, not just with the US, but with many other countries as well,” Ramesh wrote, sharing a video of Trump’s speech.
The controversy began after Trump repeated his claim of having prevented a major conflict between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan during his time in office. Speaking to military leaders, Trump said he felt proud when General Munir thanked him for saving what he described as “millions of lives.”
“He’s a very important figure in Pakistan,” Trump said, referring to General Munir. “He told me, ‘You saved millions of lives,’ and I liked hearing that.”
The Congress party has strongly questioned the positive attention being given to Pakistan’s army chief by a prominent American political figure. Ramesh further alleged that the “American President has not only met with Field Marshal Asim Munir twice at the White House in the last three months,” but also praised him for his role in de-escalating a conflict on May 10.
Trump, during his speech, also claimed to have resolved seven wars during his presidency and hinted that he could solve the biggest one “tomorrow.” The recent comments have provided fresh ammunition for the opposition to question the effectiveness and direction of India’s current diplomatic strategy.
