Congress demands transparency: PM Modi under fire over CDS General Chauhan's comments on Pakistan and China

The recent comments made by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Anil Chauhan in an interview in Singapore have sparked a new political row in the country, particularly regarding India's battle with Pakistan. The Congress party, in the name of national interest and transparency, has asked for a special Parliament session to debate the revelationslabelling them very crucial for India's military, diplomacy, and foreign policy efforts.

Congress slams government over lack of transparency

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had expressed severe criticism of the government's approach to handling such sensitive material. Gen. Chauhan's remarks in Singapore, especially those with regard to casualties during the India-Pakistan war, ought to have been laid before Parliament or at least in the all-party meetings presided over by the Defence Minister, he said.

Ramesh added, "We needed to wait for a military chief to make these disclosures overseas. Why were these facts not made available in Parliament? This is not defense alone it raises issues of foreign policy, diplomacy, and national responsibility."

Historical precedent illuminates the gap

Congress is also invoking historical comparisons to drive its demand home. Jairam Ramesh drew attention to how following the Kargil War, the then-Vajpayee government constituted a Kargil Review Committee only three days after the hostilities had ceased. That report, which was later laid in Parliament, was a lesson in institutional transparency.

He added that the present government has not pursued this line of thinking, even as there have been repeated demands from opposition parties for out-in-the-open debate. "Military affairs can be kept sensitive, but political, diplomatic, and economic considerations need to be debated," Ramesh asserted.

Pawan Khera questions ceasefire, US intervention

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera escalated the controversy further by raising the issue of former US President Donald Trump's statements on mediating between India and Pakistan during the ceasefire. He wanted to know on what terms the ceasefire was announced abruptly and why the decisions were not made public.

"We want to know: What was the reason for the ceasefire? Why was it announced by the US President even before our Parliament was informed? The people of India are entitled to know," Khera stated.

What did Gen. Chauhan say?

In his visit to Singapore, CDS Chauhan recognized that fighter planes were lost in the war. He made an impromptu and contentious remark: "What is important is not why the plane crashed, but that it crashed." The remark, while perhaps intended to reflect on operational tenacity, has sparked rumors and worry in political and defence circles.

Why this matters

The problem has snowballed from mere military loss revelations. It is now at the point of intersection of public accountability, institutional transparency, and Parliament's role in war-time decision-making. Congressional leaders demand that if India is to remain the "mother of democracy," then the government should step forward with complete disclosure before the nation's elected representatives.