Congress Slams BJP Over ‘Sindoor Deal’, Questions Jaishankar and PM Modi

New Delhi – In a fierce political attack that has escalated tensions ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the BJP of compromising India’s national security for diplomatic theatrics. At a press conference on Monday, Khera branded the ruling party as “merchants of vermilion” (Sindoor Ka Sauda) — a symbolic and scathing reference to alleged backchannel deals with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.

“Donald Trump claims he stopped the war. He even threatened to stop trade with India. This only confirms the vermilion deal was underway — and Prime Minister Modi remained silent,” said Khera, igniting a political firestorm.

Khera also reiterated Rahul Gandhi’s direct questions to External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, alleging that the government had warned Pakistan ahead of a critical airstrike.

“This is not a mistake, it is a crime and a sin,” said Khera. “The country has the right to know how many Indian Air Force planes were lost as a result of this advance warning.”

The Ministry of External Affairs, however, issued a sharp rebuttal, stating that facts were being twisted and misrepresented.

“The External Affairs Minister said Pakistan was warned once the operation began, not before it. Presenting this as pre-operation briefing is false and misleading,” the ministry clarified.

But the Congress isn’t backing down.

History Repeated: Khera Draws Parallels With Morarji Desai

Khera went a step further, comparing Jaishankar’s alleged actions to former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who, according to historical records, revealed Indian intelligence operations to Pakistan during a phone call to then President Zia-ul-Haq.

“That phone call compromised years of intelligence work and cost us countless RAW agents. Today’s events are a dark echo of that betrayal,” Khera asserted.

He added, “This is not WhatsApp University history — this is recorded and undeniable.”

Rahul Gandhi’s Relentless Attack

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has publicly targeted the External Affairs Minister twice in the past three days, demanding accountability and transparency.

“Who gave Jaishankar the right to brief Pakistan? How many of our aircraft were lost because of this reckless move?” Rahul posted on X (formerly Twitter) on May 17 and again on May 19.

The Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai later clarified that Pakistan was warned only after operations had begun, specifically targeting terrorist infrastructure, not the country or its military assets.

“They were given a diplomatic warning, not a strategic briefing,” said Ghai, adding that Pakistan refused to negotiate and threatened retaliation instead.

CWC Concerned About ‘Operation Sindoor’ Narrative

Meanwhile, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) convened on May 14 to discuss internal dissent and public statements made by party leaders like Shashi Tharoor, who allegedly diverted from the party line by calling Operation Sindoor “a moment of strength.”

An insider revealed, “This is not the time for personal opinions. We must stand united against political misuse of military operations.”