Patna (Bihar) [India], June 26 (ANI): Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor slammed the Union government's decision to agree to a cessation of hostilities with Pakistan after four days of military action, Operation Sindoor.

Speaking to ANI, Kishor suggested that by halting action, India may have missed an opportunity to further leverage its military and hinted that the action of BJP may affect its votes in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Kishor questioned why the operation was halted when Pakistan was allegedly 'on its knees.' Kishor said, going by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's statement, Pakistan wanted the 'ceasefire', indicating that the neighbouring country was under pressure and fearful of defeat.

Kishor said, 'I will listen to the government. The government said, our Foreign Minister Jai Shankar Ji said, regarding Operation Sindoor in your interview, that the ceasefire happened at the request of Pakistan. So, I agree with Jai Shankar ji. If there was a ceasefire, it means that Pakistan was under pressure. So when it was successful, Pakistan had come to its knees, was requesting you for a ceasefire, in the words of... Foreign Minister Jaishankar. So why did you ceasefire? The people of the country are asking the same thing. Why did you cease fire all of a sudden? People all over the country stood up with you.'

India had conducted Operation Sindoor early on May 7 and hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. India effectively responded to subsequent Pakistani aggression and pounded its airbases.

The two nations agreed on an understanding to halt military action on May 10. Kishor said the situation on the ground suggested that India's military was in control.

Jan Suraaj founder said, 'And if the condition of Pakistan is such that in just a few days, they had come to their knees for a ceasefire. So, they would have allowed it to go on for a few more days. Amit Shah Ji said in parliament that we are the people who are going to die for the country. We aim to take Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. So if taking PoK was the aim and Pakistan was on its knees, then why did you cease fire? If Balochistan had to be given freedom and Pakistan was on its knees, then why did you cease fire? Why did you compromise? And if it wasn't, then what you are telling is wrong. Both things can't be right.'

Referring to US President Donald Trump's claims about intervening to facilitate a ceasefire, Kishor cast doubt on US President DonaldfTrump's claim of facilitating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

According to Kishor, Trump's assertion that he mediated the ceasefire by scolding both countries is not credible. Instead, Kishore trusts the words of India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, and the government's version of events.

'Trump is playing his own game, that we got it done from America. So why will we listen to Trump? We will listen to our country and the government. Our country's government is saying that a ceasefire was made at the request of Pakistan. So as citizens of the country, we are asking that after so many days, you got a chance. Trump is saying that we called India and Pakistan together and scolded them. And made them agree. We are not going by Trump's words. We are saying on Jai Shankar's words. People are asking that you made them play the siren. You made them practice. So we were ready for 2-4-5 days. In a few days they called the ceasefire. They wouldn't let it go for 2-4 days. They would have taken it. We would have done it then. Balochistan would have been separated,' Kishore said.

On May 23, days after United States President Donald Trump claimed that he played a role in settling the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Jaishankar reiterated that it was the militaries of the two nations that negotiated directly.

Kishore questioned why the government didn't clarify earlier that the operation would be halted due to nuclear power concerns. He emphasised that Pakistan's nuclear status wasn't new and wondered why the government wouldn't want to take the operation to its logical conclusion.

'Pakistan did not become a nuclear state now; it was not made after the Operation Sindoor. It was there before. They (the government) should have told us earlier that they would start, but they would stop because of the fear of nuclear power. They should have told the country earlier. The people of the country did not say that we are afraid of nuclear power,' he told ANI.

Kishor highlighted the objectives of Operation Sindoor, which included destroying terror infrastructure and potentially liberating Balochistan or taking Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He drew parallels with the Bangladesh Liberation War, suggesting that the government should have seen it through to its conclusion.

'In the time of Indira Ji, she did not say in the beginning that it was our goal to liberate Bangladesh. But the BJP leaders themselves are saying, What did you see in Mrs Indira? We will divide Pakistan into four pieces. We will make Balochistan independent, and we will take PoK. So, it had to be done. Then you say, it is a nuclear state. So, why did the fight start?' Kishor added.

Kishor criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for doing damage control instead of admitting the reasons behind the ceasefire. He stated that the government's claim that Operation Sindoor is ongoing, but in a different form, is an attempt to save face.

He said that the BJP might face losses in the elections due to the abrupt halt in the operation. He thinks that the government's decision to accept the ceasefire was premature and that the people of India were mentally prepared for a more decisive outcome.

Kishor noted,'On a serious note, if you ask me as an analyst, the BJP will be at a loss by the manner in which Operation Sindoor was stopped. And especially after Trump's tweet, I am telling you my experience. Someone sent me Trump's tweet from America about the ceasefire. So I said, it will be photoshopped. How can this happen? You can't believe this. I felt that this can't happen. The people of the country felt that when we were mentally prepared for the war, we had to take it to a logical conclusion. He didn't take it, let's say it's his decision, but politically, and he said that it didn't happen. After that, listen to Modi ji's statement. PM is doing damage control. He is saying Operation Sindoor is going on. Its form has changed. They also can't say that it has stopped. They also know that the people of the country didn't want it to stop. The way the ceasefire happened, the BJP will face political losses.' (ANI)