Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], July 20 : Congress MP Manish Tewari on Sunday questioned the credibility of Donald Trump's "five jets shot down" statement, saying that the US President should provide empirical basis to substantiate the information
"If President Trump says that five jets have been downed, then he should provide the empirical basis of that information, as well as which country those jets belong to. Because on the face of it, it's a very bold statement that he has made that five jets have been downed," Tewari told ANI.
Trump had in a event on Friday said that five jets were shot down during Operation Sindoor, which was India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack in April, but did not specify whether the planes were Indian or Pakistani.
Manish Tewari said emphasised that it was up to the US President to provide proof of the claims he had made. "President Trump says that five military jets were shot down during that conflict; it is for President Trump to tell the world as to which country those jets belong to," he said.
"We were in a conflict situation with Pakistan. We were responding to a terror attack. India carried out precision strikes on designated terror hideouts and training centers. Therefore, we acted in self-defence," Tewari said.
The Congress MP also noted that such issues, along with other pressing foreign policy matters, will be discussed during the upcoming parliamentary session, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow.
Tewari pointed out that there were several foreign policy concerns that needed immediate attention, saying, "There is also the China question. There is also the question of the sanctions that the European Union has imposed on certain refineries in India, where Russia has a huge stake. So, there is a whole series of questions connected to both foreign policy in our neighbourhood, as well as our strategic and tactical doctrines."
"All this will be raised during the parliament session," the Congress MP said.
The Monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to start from July 21, the government plans to push its legislative agenda, which includes some new bills.
The bills on the agenda of the government include Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill of 2025, Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill of 2025, Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025, the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) bill 2025, the Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) bill 2025, the Mines and Mines (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2025, the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025.
The government's agenda also includes the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024, the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, the Indian Ports Bill, 2025, and the Income Tax Bill, 2025.
The monsoon session of Parliament will continue till August 21.