BJP Hits Back at Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Narender, Surrender’ Dig, Calls Him ‘Supreme Leader’

The Congress shared a two-panel cartoon on X – the first showed Mr Trump yelling ‘Narender, surrender’ into the phone and the second showed Mr Modi saying ‘yes, sir’.

New Delhi: A fresh political row erupted on Wednesday after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of capitulating to United States pressure during last month’s military flare-up with Pakistan. Speaking at a party event in Bhopal, Mr Gandhi said the Prime Minister surrendered after a call from US President Donald Trump, declaring, “Narendra ji followed Trump saying ‘Narender, surrender’ by saying ‘yes, sir’.”

The Congress amplified the remark by posting a two-panel cartoon on social media platform X. The illustration depicted Mr Trump yelling “Narender, surrender” into a phone, with a second panel showing Mr Modi responding, “Yes, sir.”

The jibe triggered a sharp response from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with party MP Sudhanshu Trivedi slamming Mr Gandhi for undermining the efforts and bravery of India’s armed forces. “By making such cheap and irresponsible statements, the self-proclaimed, self-styled, supreme leader, the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, is showing the world that he lacks the seriousness the post demands,” Mr Trivedi said. He also condemned the Congress leader for trivialising the military’s successful Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

Trivedi further accused Mr Gandhi of a “sick and dangerous mentality,” saying it was disgraceful to liken a national security operation to surrender.

This isn’t the first time the BJP has taken aim at the Congress leader. Shortly after his statement, party spokesperson Tuhin Sinha told NDTV that Mr Gandhi “represents Pakistan’s ISI,” referring to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

The controversy stems from US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that his administration brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May. While Trump has insisted he played a key role, going so far as to say in a US court that he “sure as hell” helped stop the conflict, the Indian government has consistently denied any external influence.

According to Indian officials, the military standoff began after India launched targeted strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan. Despite India’s warnings not to escalate, Pakistan responded with drone and missile attacks on both civilian and military areas in western India. India’s air defence systems successfully neutralized the attacks, and retaliatory strikes were launched, continuing for several days.

A ceasefire was eventually confirmed on May 10. However, Indian officials clarified that it was Pakistan who initiated the call for truce, and denied that any pressure—diplomatic or economic—from the US played a role in the decision.

As political tensions rise in the wake of these claims, the BJP and Congress continue to spar over matters of national security, diplomacy, and leadership maturity—highlighting deep divisions ahead of upcoming electoral and geopolitical challenges.