BJP Demands Congress Apology Over "Fake News" On Pak Army Chief

New Delhi:

The Congress’s claim that the US had invited Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir for a military parade hosted by President Donald Trump has sparked a huge row, especially after the White House denied any such invite. The BJP, asserting that the US has denied the “fake news”, has accused the Congress of acting as Pakistan’s “mouthpiece” and embarrassing India in the international forum. A leader of the ruling party has even questioned the foreign policy of previous Congress governments. 

“Jairam Ramesh claimed that Munir was going to the US and held a long press conference about it. But it turned out that Munir wasn’t even going. This is how they mislead people, behaving like Pakistan’s mouthpiece…. What is the difference between the Pakistan Muslim League and Jairam Ramesh?” the BJP’s Nishikant Dubey told reporters.

In a post on X, Mr Dubey also slammed the foreign policy of successive Congress governments, connecting it with the rise of Khalistani extremism and its international fallout.
As an example, he cited the case of Canada, which he said has harboured Khalistani terrorists since the 1970s with little resistance from Congress-led governments. Between 1970 and 1984, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi wrote seven letters to Canadian PM Pierre Elliott Trudeau, seeking action against Khalistanis, but received no meaningful response, he claimed, and cited the Kanishka bombing as a fallout.

“The Congress party has once again danced to Pakistan’s tune and this time, they’ve humiliated India on the global stage. Jairam Ramesh amplified fake news that Pakistan’s Army Chief was invited to a Trump-hosted US Army parade. Turns out it was a lie,” posted Sonu Nigam on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

The Parade 

Saturday’s parade in Washington — billed as one of the largest military shows in the US — is meant to showcase US defence capabilities and boost President Donald Trump’s image. It is considered unique since the US does not have a tradition of parades as on Republic Day in India or France’s Bastille Day.

What Congress Said 

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, among others, had claimed that the invite to Pakistan for Saturday’s military parade in Washington is a “huge setback” for Indian diplomacy. 

Citing a media report claiming an US invite to Asim Munir, Congress’s communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “This is the man who spoke in such incendiary and provocative language just before the Pahalgam terror attacks. What is the US really up to? This is another huge diplomatic setback for India.”

The White House Denial

Today, the White House denied that Asim Munir was invited. “This is false. No foreign military leaders were invited,” a White House official said.