MPs from various parties, including Congress’ KC Venugopal, Gurjeet Aujla and Mukul Wasnik, attended the meeting of consultative committee on external affairs here.
When Congress MPs asked if Pakistan was tipped off before Indian strikes, an allegation made by Lok Sabha’s leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Jaishankar informed it was not correct and a “misrepresentation” of facts, sources said. BJP MPs present in the meeting backed Jaishankar and engaged in a verbal duel with Congress members.
Jaishankar said only the two countries’ DGMOs were in touch and after releasing an official statement here in India, Pakistan’s DGMO was informed by his Indian counterpart that only terror infrastructures were targeted. Jaishankar made it clear that if required, India would conduct similar strikes against Pakistan again, sources said.
Most MPs asked about the US mediation claims. Jaishankar told them that “cessation of hostilities” came into effect after Pakistan’s DGMO approached Indian DGMO. There was direct communication between the two. He said that it was conveyed to the US in simple words – ‘they fire, we fire; if they stop, we will stop’.
On specific queries about the US sharing intelligence that Pakistan might retaliate with a big strike, Jaishankar told MPs that it was conveyed that India would respond appropriately – “if they resort to a bigger attack, we will hit them harder”.members asked if India has the infrastructure on the ground to put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. Jaishankar said the treaty would “remain in abeyance. Concrete steps are being taken. And they will soon see the impact on the ground”.
