‘Shrunken 56-inch chest still silent’: Congress targets PM Modi over Trump’s repeated claim of mediating India-Pak ceasefire

Digital Desk

US President Donald Trump, during his visit to South Korea on Wednesday, once again claimed — for the 56th time — that he had brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Responding to this, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi without naming him, saying the “56-inch chest” has now completely “shrunken” into silence

Sharing a video of Trump’s speech from the APEC CEO Summit on X, Ramesh wrote, “Trump said he prevented a war between India and Pakistan. Yet, the ‘56-inch chest’ remains silent — exposed and speechless.”

He alleged that Trump has repeatedly claimed to have pressured India over trade deals, but when the opposition sought a discussion in Parliament, Prime Minister Modi “chose to stay quiet.”

Key Points from Jairam Ramesh’s Remarks

US pressure on India: Trump claimed to have told PM Modi that India must halt “Operation Sindoor” against Pakistan if it wanted a trade deal.
Diplomatic lapse: The ceasefire announcement came not from New Delhi but from the US Secretary of State in Washington — a failure of Indian diplomacy, said Ramesh, calling Trump’s praise for Pakistani leaders unacceptable.
Empty promises on trade: Since February, Trump has been promising a trade deal with India, while finalizing similar agreements with Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.

Trump’s South Korea Remarks

During his South Korea visit, Trump recalled the India-Pakistan conflict, claiming, “When both countries were fighting, I asked them to stop. They refused. Modi said, ‘No, we will fight.’” He further claimed to have threatened both nations with a 250% tariff, after which they agreed to a ceasefire. Trump also praised Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir, calling Munir “a tremendous fighter.”

Congress’s Earlier Questions

July 23: Rahul Gandhi asked, “Who is Trump to broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan? Why has the Prime Minister never responded to his claims?”
July 19: The Congress posed three questions to the Centre — Did Trump actually broker the ceasefire? Did he use trade threats to stop the war? And whose five fighter jets were shot down during the conflict?
June 18: Jairam Ramesh criticized the US for calling Pakistan “an excellent partner” in counter-terrorism, saying, “How can the country that sheltered Osama bin Laden be a partner? Pakistan is a criminal, not an ally.”
June 6: Ramesh asked whether Operation Sindoor was halted under US pressure, questioning the Prime Minister’s silence.
June 3: Rahul Gandhi alleged that “after just one phone call from Trump, Narendra Modi immediately surrendered,” adding, “This is the character of the BJP and RSS — they always bow down.”