PM Modi’s Call With Trump Unlikely To Stop Congress Criticism, But That Might Backfire

Last Updated:June 18, 2025, 11:48 IST

Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh questioned the rationale behind the reported Munir-Trump meeting.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh (PTI File)

The 35-minute telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump has clarified several issues regarding a trade deal and America’s alleged role in mediating the ceasefire. On a phone call on Wednesday on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, PM Modi told Trump that India neither requested mediation nor discussed trade with the US during ‘Operation Sindoor’ against Pakistan’s terror sites. This comes as a clear rejection of Washington’s claim that it ended a four-day conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad by leveraging trade.

However, the opposition demands more details. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, expressing discontent, noted, “There is a world of a difference between what is in our note and what is in Trump’s note. You are saying this, he said that… then why not call an all-party meeting?"

BJP leader Amit Malviya rebutted Ramesh’s claims on a US note, calling him a “congenital liar — much like Rahul Gandhi." “He is now peddling yet another falsehood, claiming that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s statement doesn’t match the US readout — while dramatically waving his phone around. But here is the catch: the readout he is citing is from January 2025! And there is no official US release yet on the latest call," Malviya wrote on X.

While the news of the Trump-Modi call was still fresh, information also surfaced about a lunch meeting between the Pakistani Army Chief Munir and the US President, which had been previously denied by America just a few days earlier. This revelation sparked a significant social media clash between Congress and the BJP, with the BJP accusing Congress of spreading fake news.

In response, Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh questioned the rationale behind the reported Munir-Trump meeting, speculating if this was the reason Trump had cut short his stay in Canada.

The Trump-Modi phone call strongly countered many allegations made by Congress, and to some extent, by the TMC. Following the call, the BJP asserted, “Every lie of the Congress has been busted. Congress must apologise for this."

Despite this strong response, the opposition is unlikely to be silenced. There appears to be some unity within the INDIA bloc concerning Operation Sindoor. However, it is ironic that some members of the opposition who participated in delegation-level talks are now showing a softer stance towards the government. For instance, Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, instead of condemning the government over the Munir-Trump lunch, chose to criticise Trump for dining with a terror promoter.

Congress is expected to continue demanding an all-party meeting with the PM in attendance, as well as a response from the PM in parliament during the monsoon session. Nonetheless, cracks are beginning to show within the INDIA bloc. Both Congress and the TMC remain resolute in challenging the PM on various issues, such as the potential American mediation and the whereabouts of the terrorists.

The strong response from the PM will not deter the opposition, despite the embarrassment they face.

News politics PM Modi’s Call With Trump Unlikely To Stop Congress Criticism, But That Might Backfire