Congress, RJD, Left Parties Call for All-Party Meet, Special Session of Parliament
New Delhi, May 10 — A political storm erupted on Saturday following the announcement of a US-mediated ceasefire between India and Pakistan, with opposition parties questioning the nature of the truce and demanding transparency from the government. The BJP, on the other hand, hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for bringing the "enemy to its knees."Senior Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh and Manish Tewari, expressed concern over the ceasefire being announced from Washington DC. Tewari posted on X, “A US-brokered ceasefire once again! Like it or not, it reaffirms the US position as the single biggest outside balancer of power in multiple regions of the world.”
Jairam Ramesh urged the prime minister to convene an all-party meeting and also called for a special session of Parliament to discuss the events leading up to the ceasefire, starting from the terror attack in Pahalgam.
BJP Credits Modi’s Leadership and Military Bravery
The BJP, meanwhile, praised the prime minister and the armed forces. BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said that the ceasefire came after Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart. Malviya added that India agreed to the ceasefire only after declaring a revised war doctrine, under which any future terrorist attack on Indian soil will be treated as an act of war.Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav echoed the sentiment, crediting PM Modi’s firm response to the Pahalgam attack for compelling Pakistan to seek a truce.
Opposition Leaders Recall Indira Gandhi, Critique Foreign Mediation
The Congress party circulated archival images of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the armed forces, quoting her letter to then US President Richard Nixon, asserting India’s sovereignty against foreign pressure. “That was standing up for India,” read the party’s post on X.RJD leaders Tejashwi Yadav and Manoj Jha also called for a special Parliament session. “US President Donald Trump announcing a ceasefire unsettles me,” Jha said, stressing the need for clarity from the Indian government.
Mixed Responses from Regional and Left Parties
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah cautiously welcomed the ceasefire, saying it was “better late than never.” However, Left leaders D Raja of CPI and John Brittas of CPI(M) warned against internationalising the Kashmir issue, with Brittas stating, “It is disquieting that there is an impression that the US mediated the ceasefire.”Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of AIMIM, said he wished the ceasefire announcement had come from the Indian prime minister instead of a foreign leader, reiterating his opposition to third-party intervention since the Simla Agreement of 1972.
NDA Allies Welcome Truce
Leaders from NDA constituents including the JD(U) and TDP welcomed the development. JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said India had delivered a lesson Pakistan wouldn’t forget, while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu confirmed that the ceasefire was initiated at Pakistan’s request.Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi saluted the armed forces and citizens, stating, “The guns may have turned silent but Indians have spoken loudly and clearly — to Pakistan and the world — United India, stronger India.”
Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also expressed relief, saying the ceasefire was a positive step forward and called on Pakistan to ensure such incidents are not repeated.
The ceasefire came after four days of cross-border military strikes following the Pahalgam terror attack. It was announced just after US President Donald Trump confirmed that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate" cessation of hostilities following diplomatic engagement by the United States.