In PM's address to nation, his silences were louder than assertions, claims CPI(ML) Liberation

Patna, May 12 (PTI) CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya on Monday took a critical view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation, alleging that his "silences remained louder than his assertions".

In a statement, the Left leader accused the PM of failure to assure the people that he was against third party intervention in bilateral affairs concerning India and Pakistan.

"(Donald) Trump and his administration have told the whole world that the ceasefire was the result of 'a long night of American mediation' and that India and Pakistan would negotiate on a range of issues at a neutral venue", said Bhattacharya, referring to a social media post of the US President.

Bhattacharya claimed that by keeping quiet on these claims, the PM has failed to assure the people against American or third-party intervention in the bilateral affairs of the two Asian neighbours.

The Left leader found equally disturbing the PM's alleged "conspicuous silence on the abusive trolling and hate mongering" faced by Himanshi Narwal, who lost her husband, a naval officer, in the Pahalgam attack, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

While Narwal was targeted for voicing disapproval of people going against Kashmiris and Muslims in the aftermath of the massacre, Misri faced online abuse after announcing that the military operations were being put on hold.

Bhattacharya also expressed concern over "blatant lies" propagated by television channels while the military operations were on and pointed out "20 days after the horrific Pahalgam terror attack and the loss of 26 precious lives, we still do not know when the perpetrators will be brought to justice".

He demanded an urgent Parliament session for the government to answer these questions.

In his first address to the nation after Operation Sindoor earlier in the evening, the prime minister sternly warned Pakistan that India would not succumb to "nuclear blackmail" and sent a clear message to the world that terror and trade, terror and talks could not go together. PTI PKD NAC NN