Saamana Questions Ceasefire Deal: “Did Trump Buy India’s Sovereignty? In Exchange for What?”
The editorial in Saamana, the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena (UBT), has raised sharp questions over the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The ceasefire came in the wake of the brutal terrorist attack on tourists in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Saamana has questioned the legitimacy of foreign intervention and expressed grave concerns over India’s apparent submission to external pressure.
In a chilling act of violence, terrorists targeted tourists in Pahalgam after questioning them about their religion. The attack sparked outrage and led to the launch of Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory move by Indian forces. Indian security forces also thwarted several cowardly Pakistani offensives across different cities, successfully defending national territory. In response to these attacks, India retaliated robustly, maintaining a firm stance against Pakistani aggression.
However, the situation took a diplomatic turn when a ceasefire was suddenly declared on Saturday evening following the intervention of the United States. Within hours of the announcement, Pakistan violated the ceasefire, prompting Saamana to condemn the move and raise questions about national sovereignty.
“India is a sovereign and independent nation. No foreign power has the right to interfere in our internal matters,” Saamana stated, criticizing the Indian government for accepting a ceasefire allegedly proposed by President Trump. “Trump took to his social media platform to announce that India had agreed to a ceasefire—before even the Indian people or army were informed. Who gave Trump the authority to act like a Sarpanch?”
The editorial accused the Indian government of violating the Simla Agreement of 1972, which prohibits third-party mediation in Indo-Pakistani conflicts. “By accepting Trump’s mediation, the Indian Prime Minister has undermined a binding international agreement. Was Operation Sindoor completed? Was Pakistan truly punished for the Pahalgam massacre? The nation has no answers.”
The editorial expressed anguish over the perceived inaction of the country's leadership. “As Pakistan’s Prime Minister provocatively claimed victory, the Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and Home Minister of India were conspicuously absent. Home Minister Amit Shah had previously declared that India would fight for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. But as the Indian Army advanced, Modi and Shah seemingly surrendered to Trump’s ceasefire terms.”
Saamana also mourned the sacrifice of Indian soldiers, including 23-year-old Murali Naik from Mumbai and Dinesh Sharma, both of whom lost their lives in border clashes. “Thousands of brave soldiers like Naik and Sharma are defending our borders with their lives. Murali’s father, a resident of a Ghatkopar slum, proudly saluted his son’s martyrdom, but the anguish remains. Those who fan the flames of war from political platforms have never faced the battlefield.”
The editorial further criticized the government's alleged clampdown on independent media, stating that outlets like The Wire, 4 PM, and Punya Prasoon Vajpayee’s channel have been silenced to pave the way for propaganda by "Godi media." “Shutting down media houses that question the government during wartime is an act of terror in a democracy.”
The piece also highlighted a recent military success, where Border Security Force (BSF) jawans killed seven infiltrating terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed in Jammu’s Samba sector. “While this act deserves praise, it raises serious concerns—if these terrorists could be neutralized at the border, how did others manage to penetrate deep into Pahalgam and launch such a devastating attack?”
The editorial ends with a damning critique of the ceasefire and Trump’s role. “These six unidentified terrorists lit the spark of an Indo-Pak war, only for President Trump to douse it with water. He’s no Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, or Nelson Mandela—he’s a businessman. And India’s ruling class has aligned with his business interests. Trump did not intervene in the Israel-Palestine war, yet he preaches peace to India. What was the deal that led to this ceasefire? Did Trump buy India’s sovereignty? The nation deserves to know.”