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.
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Bengal will reply to bombs with votes, form double-engine govt: Shah
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Birbhum/Raniganj (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the people of West Bengal will reply to bombs and bullets with votes, and pledged the BJP would "hang the syndicate and cut money promoters upside down to make them straight" once the voters "bid adieu to the TMC government".
Addressing poll rallies in Mayureshwar and Khayrasole areas of Birbhum district and in Paschim Bardhaman's Raniganj, he said the writing on the wall is that the BJP will form a government in Bengal as the people of the state have decided to bid "Ta Ta Bye Bye" to TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.
"Let the people bid adieu to the Mamata government. The BJP will then take up the task of hanging the syndicate and cut-money promoters upside down to make them straight," Shah said.
Alleging that TMC-sheltered criminals have tortured BJP workers in Bengal for a long time, the home minister said that after May 5, a day after counting of votes, saffron party workers will drag their torturers out of the netherworld and bring them to justice.
"I advise TMC goons to stay in their homes on April 23 (the first phase of polling), else we will pick them up one by one on May 4 and throw them in jail."
Birbhum will go to the polls in the first phase on April 23. The second phase of polling is on April 29, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
Referring to his party's poll manifesto, Shah said, "Once in power, the BJP will build five industrial estates in Bengal to facilitate investment flow into the state."
Accusing Banerjee of trying to "terrorise" the state's majority community, Shah said this assembly election is to drive out infiltrators from Bengal and also from the rest of the country.
"Didi, we have been living here for centuries. Who are you to intimidate us?" Shah asked, alleging that riots took place in Murshidabad, attacks were perpetrated on Ram Navami processions, and Saraswati Puja was not allowed at some places under Mamata Banerjee's rule.
Alleging that the Congress and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee supported keeping Ram Lalla inside a tent for 550 years, the former BJP chief pointed out that "PM Modi built Ram temple in Ayodhya".
"Humayun Kabir is Mamata Banerjee's stooge. He wants to build Babri Masjid in Bengal, but the BJP will never allow it," Shah said.
The Union home minister targeted the Mamata Banerjee government over the issue of illegal immigration, asking, "Can the chief minister or her nephew (Abhishek Banerjee) throw infiltrators out? They do not even allot land for border fencing."
"Mamata Banerjee is not giving land for border fencing, but blaming the BSF for infiltration in Bengal," Shah told a rally in Paschim Bardhaman's Raniganj.
The BJP will finish the task of land allotment for fencing India's borders with Bangladesh within 45 days of assuming power in West Bengal, Shah said. "And not just from Bengal, we will pick infiltrators one by one from the whole country and throw them out."
"The Manmohan Singh government, supported by Mamata Banerjee's TMC, never took firm action against Pakistani terrorism. Instead, they treated the terrorists with biryani," he said.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed the conduct of Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam attack and hit Pakistan where it hurt them the most, the Union home minister said.
"The Modi government crushed Naxalism in the country, and now it is time for infiltrators to be thrown out."
Shah reiterated his party's resolve to implement a Uniform Civil Code in the state. "Once enforced, the UCC will put an end to the practice of certain members getting married four times," the home minister said.
He lashed out at the TMC for allegedly indulging in scams and claimed the party embezzled money to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore.
"They were responsible for the cash-for-query scam in Parliament, for taking away the jobs of 26,000 school teachers, for SSC and civic body recruitment irregularities, cattle smuggling, ration distribution scam, as well as stealing MNREGA and PM Awas money. We will make the scamsters return every penny to the people after we come to power," the former BJP chief said.
Shah took on the chief minister for her alleged comments on women in public spaces post sundown.
"Shame on Mamata Banerjee for saying that women should stay at home after 7 pm. We will ensure an environment where young girls can ride their scooties at 1 am," Shah said.
He promised that there would be no repeat of Sandeshkhali, R G Kar, South Calcutta Law College and Durgapur Law College-like incidents under BJP rule in the state.
Referring to the BJP's poll manifesto, the home minister pledged the enforcement of the 7th pay commission recommendations for government employees within 45 days, Rs 3,000 per month to women and unemployed youth, Rs 21,000 to pregnant women, and Rs 2,000 to specially-abled people.
"There will be 33 per cent women's reservation in government jobs, free rides for women in state buses and Rs 5 lakh free health insurance cover under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. We will also increase the annual grant to farmers to Rs 9,000," he said.
"Mamata Banerjee's only aim is to elevate her nephew to the chair of the chief minister. Modiji, on the other hand, aims to empower the youth of Bengal," he said.
Shah said that once a 'double-engine' government is formed, Central funds would reach the people of the state and several welfare schemes would be implemented for the women, youths and the poor. "Mamata Banerjee says Bengal will be run from Delhi; I tell her that after poll results, the state's chief minister will be the son of the soil, and not from the TMC," he added.
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