The Congress on Sunday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the US’ statements after three Indian sailors were killed in American attacks on ships, with party leader Rahul Gandhi saying the “compromised PM” listens “like an obedient servant” and “complies with the orders”.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also attacked the prime minister over his “silence” on the killing of the three Indian seafarers, and alleged that no proof is required that he had “belittled” India’s global standing and sovereignty.
The Congress also said India must put off the upcoming visit of US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and asserted that any self-respecting nation will do more than mere phone calls and press statements to defend its sovereignty against “bullies”.
With Prime Minister Modi set to meet US President Donald Trump in France this week, the opposition party asked whether he will raise India’s strongest condemnation over the sailors’ killing in a US attack on a ship off the Oman coast, and the “threatening and really unacceptable” language used by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in his conversation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on June 12.
Gandhi slammed the prime minister, saying “our compromised PM” listens like an “obedient servant” and complies with the “orders”.
The leader of opposition in Lok Sabha also said that “a compromised PM” will not defend the nation’s honour because he is beholden to those who insult the country.
His remarks come a day after the US said it conveyed to India that any violation of its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated.
US Secretary of State Rubio conveyed this to Jaishankar, who spoke with him on Friday to lodge a strong protest against the death of three Indian nationals in US attacks on ships off the coast of Oman.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “Just days after three Indian sailors were killed in American attacks there is neither regret nor apology. On the contrary, the US continues to issue orders.” “Read their words: ‘Obey US military orders immediately’. No violation ‘will be tolerated’,” he said.
“A sovereign nation would never tolerate such language. But our compromised PM? Silent. He listens like an obedient servant and complies with the orders,” Gandhi said.
In another post in Hindi, he referred to the death of an Indian national due to medical complications aboard a vessel currently docked at the Duqm Port in Oman.
“Under a compromised PM, being an Indian means facing a wretched plight. Foreign powers kill our citizens. Our government meekly obeys orders like an obedient servant and our citizens are left to rot,” he said.
“Bring this Indian home. Now,” Gandhi said, tagging a post quoting the Indian captain of MT Celestial as saying that the body of his second officer is decomposing.
In his post on X, Kharge alleged that India’s national interests are being surrendered on a daily basis.
“Even as the mortal remains of Indian seafarers killed in Oman by American action arrive in India, I join the nation in mourning the loss of the three Indian seafarers,” Kharge said on X.
“Three days have passed since this tragic incident. Yet, there has been no public statement at all or even a condolence message from PM @narendramodi,” the Congress president said.
“The nation was waiting for it, Modi ji,” he added.
“You spoke about ‘desh nahi jhukne denge’ but no proof is now required that you have belittled India’s global standing and sovereignty,” Kharge alleged.
He said India’s national interests are being surrendered on a daily basis.
“And you have the audacity to sugarcoat it with the ‘Vishwaguru’ narrative. India used to be a ‘Vishwaguru’ when it maintained its strategic autonomy and followed the policy of Non-Alignment. The world listened to us when all previous governments followed this consistent policy of not surrendering,” Kharge said.
Indian lives cannot be treated as an afterthought in matters of foreign policy, he said.
At a time when serious questions remain unanswered, “silence is not a substitute for accountability”, he said.
The nation deserves clarity, and the families deserve justice, the Congress chief said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the Modi government over the issue.
“The Modi government’s silence following the killing of three Indian sailors in a US attack is shameful. Instead of expressing regret or apologising for these killings, the US is resorting to the language of threats and commands. It is imperative to firmly convey to the US that India is a sovereign and independent nation capable of defending its sovereignty,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
“Yet, our compromised Prime Minister is failing to protect both the citizens and the nation’s sovereignty,” she said.
“The ‘deal’ which was more like a steal saw the Modi Government unilaterally make enormous concessions that threaten our farmers and industries,” Ramesh alleged.
Countries like Malaysia have declared their trade agreements with the US ‘null and void’ after the US Supreme Court ruling which struck down the Trump tariffs that formed the backdrop to these agreements, the Congress leader pointed out.
The Modi government has not only failed to renounce this trade deal which endangers the futures of crores of India’s farmers but has instead sat mute and helpless while Secretary of State Rubio has proclaimed that the Modi government has committed to purchasing USD 500 billion in US goods over the next five years, effectively doubling our annual US imports, Ramesh claimed.
“In light of the Rubio-Jaishankar interaction, the US Supreme Court’s overturning of President Trump’s tariff system, and the patent unfairness of the trade deal, the least India must do is to put off the visit of the US Trade Representative,” he said.
“Any self respecting nation will do more than mere phone calls and press statements to defend its sovereignty against bullies,” Ramesh said.
Trump will meet Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in France on Wednesday, American media reported quoting US officials.
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