'No power can dictate us': Jagdeep Dhankhar after Trump claims credit of ceasefire between India and Pakistan
The vice president's remarks came after the Opposition sought clarity over US President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that the US played a key role in ensuring peace between India and Pakistan amid hostilities during Operation Sindoor.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said no outside power can dictate India to deal with its affairs and it was high time when people should refrain from being guided by the narratives from outside.
VP Dhankhar made these comments while addressing officer trainees of the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) 2024 batch at the Vice-President's Enclave.
"Don't be guided by narratives outside. All decisions in this country, a sovereign nation, are taken by its leadership. There is no power on the planet to dictate to India how to handle its affairs,” the vice president said, according to ANI," the vice president said.
"We do live in a nation and nations that are a comity. We work in togetherness; we work in tandem. We have mutual respect and diplomatic dialogues. But at the end of the day, we are sovereign, we take our own decisions," he said.
Not every ball is meant to be played, says VP Dhankhar
Drawing a cricket analogy, VP Dhankhar asked if it was required to ‘play every ball’, adding that good players often let go of the bad deliveries.
"Is it required to play every bad ball? Is it required to have wrestling sessions as to who said what? One who scores good runs on the cricket pitch always leaves bad balls. They are tempting, but not attempted. And those who attempt, you have safe gloves of the wicket keeper and someone in the gully," VP Dhankhar added.
India-Pakistan ceasefire and Trump's bizarre claim
The vice president's remarks came after the Opposition sought clarity over US President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that the US played a key role in ensuring peace between India and Pakistan amid hostilities during Operation Sindoor. Trump said he cautioned both nations that the US will not move forward on trade deals until cross-border military aggression is stopped.
India, however, categorically stated that Pakistan made a request for a ceasefire and the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries made the final decision on the peace deal, ruling out the involvement of any third party in the process. PM Modi also conveyed this to Trump during the telephonic conversation between the two leaders.