Participating in a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on Operation Sindoor, he also asked why PM Modi did not “counter once” on May 10, US President Donald Trump’s claims made in a social media post on the role of the US in reaching the ceasefire.
India launched the military action on May 7 and decimated multiple terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
Pakistan also launched offensives against India, and all subsequent counter-offensives by India were also carried out under Operation Sindoor. The military conflict between two nuclear-armed neighbours halted after they reached an understanding on the evening of May 10.
Banerjee, speaking mostly in Bengal and occasionally using English, asserted that his party has stood with the nation always, “but if there is any deficiency… will point out”.
The Srerampur MP said Indians were eager with “expectations” when Operation Sindoor was underway, but on May 10, a “ceasefire” happened.
“… Have you ever heard that a player batting at 90 and heading towards a century, declare the innings. Only Modiji can do this, no one else… It was a matter of completing 100 runs, ended up being at 90,” he said.
During the discussion, Banerjee also read out the social media post by Trump on May 10 in which he had claimed that India and Pakistan agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after talks mediated by the US.
“Mr PM, why haven’t you once posted on your X handle, ‘you (Trump) are incorrect Mr President’. You could not show your courage to do that,” he alleged.
In a dig at the prime minister, the TMC MP said that in front of the US President, Modi’s stature “gets reduced”, and his “chest shrinks from 56 to 36 inches”.
Later speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, he again questioned the stopping of military action by India.
“The entire country was with you (PM Modi). So, we were thinking that we would win this war, will teach a good lesson to Pakistan. So, when there were talks of winning the war, then why did you halt it, make a ceasefire,” Banerjee alleged.
“Have you ever seen, someone on a score of 90, and on the brink of a century, declaring one’s innings, that is what has happened,” he claimed.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said in the Lok Sabha that Operation Sindoor was “paused” as the armed forces had achieved the desired politico-military objectives and asserted that there was “no pressure” to end it.
The entire operation was over in 22 minutes and the Pahalgam killings were avenged.
The attacks, he asserted, were non-escalatory in nature.
Singh underlined that to say or believe that Operation Sindoor was stopped under any pressure is baseless and completely incorrect. PTI KND RT RT
