In a first, Trump says two leaders of India-Pak 'decided' to stop conflict
New York/Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump said the two “very smart” leaders of India and Pakistan “decided” not to continue a war that could have turned nuclear, the first time in weeks he did not credit himself for stopping of hostilities between the two neighbouring nations.
Trump made the remarks while speaking to the media in the Oval Office after hosting Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, for lunch at the White House on Wednesday.
Trump said he was “honoured" to meet Munir.
When asked if Iran was discussed in his meeting with Munir, Trump said: “Well, they know Iran very well, better than most, and they're not happy about anything. It's not that they're bad with Israel. They know them both, actually, but they probably, maybe they know Iran better, but they see what's going on, and he agreed with me."
“The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war, ending the war. And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Modi just left a little while ago, and we're working on a trade deal with India. We're working on a trade deal with Pakistan," the president said.
“They were both here, but I was with Modi a few weeks ago. He was here actually, but now we speak to him. And I'm so happy that two smart people, plus you know, people on their staff too, but two smart people, two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war. That could have been a nuclear war. Those are two nuclear powers, big ones, big, big nuclear powers, and they decided that.”
This is the first time in weeks when Trump did not take credit for stopping the military conflict between India and Pakistan.
Since May 10, when India and Pakistan decided to stop the military conflict, Trump has repeatedly claimed on multiple occasions that he “helped settle” tensions between the two countries and that he told the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours that America would do a “lot of trade” with them if they stopped the conflict.
Modi and Trump were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, but the American president returned to Washington early.
Before departing Kananaskis and wrapping up his first visit to Canada in a decade, Modi had a 35-minute phone conversation with Trump.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a video message from Kananaskis, said Modi conveyed to Trump that at “no point” during Operation Sindoor was there any discussion, at any level, on an India-US trade deal or any proposal for mediation by the US between India and Pakistan.
The discussion to cease military action took place directly between India and Pakistan through the existing channels of communication between the two armed forces, and it was initiated at Islamabad's request.
Modi firmly said India will never accept the mediation of a third party, and there is complete political consensus in India on this matter, Misri said.
Misri also noted that following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, Trump expressed his condolences to Modi over a phone call and expressed his support against terrorism.
The phone call on Tuesday in Kananaskis was the “first conversation” between the two leaders since April.
Misri said Trump listened carefully to the points conveyed by the prime minister and expressed his support towards India’s fight against terrorism.
Modi conveyed that India no longer views terrorism as a proxy war, but as a war itself, and that Operation Sindoor is still ongoing.
Trump enquired if Modi could stop over in the US on his way back from Canada, but the prime minister was scheduled to depart for Croatia, the last leg of his three-nation tour that began in Cyprus.
Misri said that due to prior commitments, Modi expressed his inability to visit Washington, and both leaders agreed to make efforts to meet soon.
Earlier in the day, Trump said he spoke to Modi, “a fantastic man”, and stressed the two countries will have a trade deal while repeating his claim that he stopped a war between India and Pakistan.
"Well, I stopped the war. I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We're going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India,” Trump said on Wednesday.
Trump was asked what he was looking to achieve diplomatically from the meeting with Munir. “This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side,” Trump said, referring to the army chief.
“Modi, from the Indian side, and others. They were going at it, and they're both nuclear countries. I got it stopped. I don't think I had one story. Did I have one story written? I stopped the war between two major nations, major nuclear nations. I don't think I had a story written about it,” he said, adding that the people know.
About two weeks after the April 22 terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, India launched Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
Sources in New Delhi have since maintained that the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop the military action with immediate effect. They said no third party was involved.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
_vb_77.jpeg)
_vb_00.jpeg)
