NEW DELHI, Mar 26: The Congress on Thursday criticized the Modi government over its “dalaal nation” remark regarding Pakistan’s reported mediation in the West Asia conflict, saying failures in diplomacy and narrative have turned a “broken country into a broker country.”
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is doing his best to cover up India’s “extreme embarrassment” and the setback to its regional diplomacy after Pakistan emerged as a mediator in the ongoing West Asia war.
“It is astonishing that Pakistan is considered fit for such a role—a country that has orchestrated terrorism in India and abroad for over four decades, provided sanctuary to Osama bin Laden and other global terrorists, and violated nuclear non-proliferation norms,” Ramesh said.
He cited Pakistan’s past actions, including the AQ Khan network, bombings in Afghanistan, and persecution of its own citizens and religious minorities in regions such as Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Ramesh added that Pakistan being recognized as a mediator highlights both the substance and style failures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomacy, which he described as “full of bombast and marked by cowardice.” He contrasted this with the tenure of Dr. Manmohan Singh, when Pakistan was internationally isolated after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
“In contrast, even after incendiary statements by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir fueled the Pahalgam terror attacks in April 2025, Pakistan has not been isolated internationally,” he said. According to Ramesh, Pakistan has even emerged as a more relevant actor, gaining favor with US President Donald Trump and his team.
“The External Affairs Minister said India is not a broker country. Yet, the failures in our diplomacy and narrative management have turned a broken country into a broker country,” he added. “That is the self-styled Vishwaguru’s singular contribution to our diplomatic record—something no one-liner can erase.”
Congress had earlier criticized the government for calling Pakistan a “dalaal nation” in the context of its mediation efforts, calling the situation a failure of “Modi huglomacy.”
During an all-party meeting on West Asia, the government stated that Pakistan has historically been “used” by the US since 1981, and asserted that India is not a “dalaal nation.” Jaishankar also told attendees that New Delhi’s focus remains on the safety of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf and securing domestic energy needs.
The opposition, however, called the government’s responses “unsatisfactory” and demanded a parliamentary debate on the West Asia situation in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. (Agency)
