Opposition questions US mediation on Kashmir, demands special session of Parliament

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Some opposition parties on Sunday demanded a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, and questioned the government if it was open to third-party mediation on Kashmir after the US made announcements on behalf of India and Pakistan.

The Congress, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Left also demanded an all-party meeting to discuss the situation in wake of the hostilities with Pakistan.

Some parties questioned the US role in announcing the cessation of the military standoff.

The Congress demanded answers on whether the government had accepted third-party mediation on Kashmir after the US made announcements on behalf of India and Pakistan.

It also slammed attempts to "internationalise" the issue and "hyphenate" the two countries.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed several questions to the government, including if New Delhi had opened the doors to third-party intervention.

The demands came after India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. There were violations of the agreement as Pakistan resorted to cross-border firing within hours of its announcement.

Ramesh said in a post on X, "The Indian National Congress reiterates its demand for an all-party meet chaired by the prime minister 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 Pakistan".

The Congress considers the mention of a "neutral site" by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for dialogue between India and Pakistan raises many questions, he added.

"Have we abandoned the Simla Agreement? Have we opened the doors to third-party mediation?" he asked.

He added the Congress would like to ask if diplomatic channels between India and Pakistan were being reopened. "What commitments have we sought and got?" Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot said the US move to announce a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan was "unprecedented" and raised several questions.

"An attempt was made to internationalise the issues between India and Pakistan. This is the first time this has happened," he said at a press conference, asserting the government must clarify while taking the nation and all parties into confidence.

On Sunday, government sources asserted that India would never accept mediation on the Kashmir issue and the only matter to discuss was Pakistan returning territory under its illegal occupation.

Demanding a special session of Parliament, Pilot called for adopting again the 1994 resolution that resolved to take back areas of Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan.

"Has there been a change in that stand? What are the conditions, circumstances, issues on which they will talk and who is a third country to dictate to India where and when we should meet and how we should meet? That is a question that needs to be answered," he said.

Objecting to US President Donald Trump's social media posts, he said, "Kashmir is a bilateral issue, and the attempt to internationalise it, I feel, is not proper." Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed Trump pressured India to stop its action against Pakistan. "No other president can interfere in our country's affairs. This is an attack on our sovereignty and it shows the weakness of our government." He also hit out at the government for agreeing to reach an understanding with Pakistan at a juncture when there was an opportunity to teach the neighbouring country a lesson.

However, DMK leader TKS Elangovan welcomed the stoppage of military actions. "It's a welcome measure by both countries... In the 21st century, war is not necessary, people should live in harmony, they should not hate... Why should you fight with each other? Trump had also asked for a ceasefire, it is a good measure." On reports of firing continuing at the border despite the agreement, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal called for a special session of Parliament over the conflict.

"We salute the defence forces for a befitting reply, people were asking for it... People are with them. I had asked for a special session of Parliament … We did not get an answer. Since there has been a ceasefire, we will ask again. We cannot wait till the Monsson Session. If we don't get answers, there will be acrimony..." he said.

RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha asked who gave Trump the mandate to talk about Kashmir.

"The announcement that had to come from our side… But a new 'sarpanch', 'Chaudhary saheb' (Trump) announced the ceasefire. He talked about Kashmir and its history. Who are you to talk about this when you don't have the locus standi? It is against the spirit of the Simla accord. The mood of the nation is akin to what it was in 1971, it should remain so," he said.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav urged the Centre to convene a special session of Parliament "for feting our brave soldiers" as he lauded the armed forces for giving a befitting response to Pakistan.

However, he ducked queries about the Trump administration's "intervention" in the cessation of hostilities.

The CPI expressed serious concern over reported US involvement in facilitating the agreement between India and Pakistan, even as it welcomed the understanding.

It demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi explain what role the US played and how the American president announced the agreement before the Indian government.

It also sought a special session of Parliament as soon as possible for comprehensive and transparent discussions on the issue.

In a statement on Sunday, the Left party welcomed the agreement and called it a "positive and necessary step towards preventing a full-scale war and safeguarding peace in the region". PTI SKC AO PR NAC SZM SZM