'Did Modi govt violate Simla Agreement?': Congress questions India-Pak ceasefire pact, Trump's role in truce

AICC general secretary ((organisation) K.C. Venugopal has raised concerns over whether the Simla Agreement was violated. He made this statement while inaugurating a function at Indira Bhawan, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, where Adv Sunny Joseph officially took charge as the new KPCC president.

 

"For the past three days, people have been remembering the courage of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. No one needs a reminder of who Indira was. When a superpower decided to send its naval fleet, she made it clear that if that fleet entered India’s territorial waters, there would be consequences," Venugopal said.

 

"Indira Gandhi firmly believed that India's diplomacy and internal security should not be dictated by any country located 4,000 km away. That was the strong position she took," he added.

 

Commenting on recent developments, Venugopal said, "We all know what happened in Pahalgam. We respect the actions taken by our armed forces. In this situation, both the Congress and other opposition parties stood united with the government."

 

The AICC general secretary added that in both all-party meetings, the Congress took a strong stance in support of the people of India and the military. “We offered our full backing. Our soldiers fought bravely, and we salute them. However, questions are now being raised, and we cannot move forward without addressing them. These questions are not meant to blame anyone but to ensure that such lapses do not recur," he said.

 

Venugopal noted that there are concerns over whether the Simla Agreement between India and Pakistan was violated, as the agreement clearly states that any conflict between the two countries, particularly over Kashmir, must not involve a third party. “Has that principle been breached?" he asked.

 

Venugopal also referred to US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he had been involved in the issue. "We demand a clear explanation from the Centre. What happened in our foreign policy? Were there any shortcomings? The nation deserves answers," he said.

 

The Congress has already demanded that a special session of Parliament be convened immediately to discuss this matter. “This is not about criticism or finger-pointing. If there were any flaws, they must be identified so that the same mistakes are not repeated in the future. India has suffered the loss of innocent lives in the fight against Pakistan. We need answers. And we will keep asking. We stand for national security—and we will always stand by it."

India