Etawah, May 12 (PTI) The Congress' Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai on Monday questioned the "sudden ceasefire" between India and Pakistan and asked why the decision was taken when Indian forces were actively engaged in operations against terrorists and their sympathisers.
He also sought to know what role the US played in the process and why its president was the first to announce the agreement between India and Pakistan to stop military actions.
Rai was speaking to reporters in an Etawah village where he had gone to pay tribute to Suraj Singh Yadav, a soldier killed in an accident in Jammu and Kashmir on May 8.
"The entire country is shocked and surprised at the sudden ceasefire. When our army was effectively retaliating and teaching a lesson to the enemy, who gave the US the authority to intervene in this conflict?" Rai asked.
Rai said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should explain the reasons behind the decision to stop military actions, as well as the circumstances under which the US had to play a mediatory role.
"This was the time to give a strong reply to Pakistan. The entire opposition and the country were united behind the government. What was the compulsion to stop action at such a moment?" he asked.
India and Pakistan reached an agreement to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea on May 10 after four days of cross-border strikes that triggered fears of a wider conflict.
In a short announcement, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said the directors general of military operations of the two countries agreed on the understanding during a call.
The decision by India and Pakistan was first made public by Trump in a social media post while claiming that the talks between the two sides were mediated by the US.
Meanwhile, offering floral tributes and expressing condolences to the soldier's family, Rai said, "We are proud of the sacrifice of Suraj Singh. In this hour of grief, we all stand with his family."
Rai said the armed forces had shown great resolve in retaliating against the terror attack in Pahalgam.
"Our soldiers taught the terrorists a lesson and destroyed their camps. The morale of our forces must remain high. All 140 crore people of India stand firmly with the armed forces," he said.