Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the Narendra Modi-led government over what she termed as its “disturbing silence” on the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei.
In an opinion article, Gandhi said the government’s response was “not neutral but an abdication,” adding that India’s lack of a clear position signalled “tacit endorsement of this tragedy.”
Iran confirmed on March 1 that its Supreme Leader had been killed in targeted strikes carried out a day earlier by the United States and Israel. The strikes reportedly targeted military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites and key infrastructure across multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran.
Gandhi described the killing of a sitting head of state during ongoing negotiations as a “grave rupture” in international relations. She questioned why New Delhi had not issued a clear defence of sovereignty or international law in the aftermath of the attack.
She further noted that the Prime Minister had condemned Iran’s retaliatory strikes but did not address the sequence of events preceding them. Iran responded to the attacks by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and regional allies, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, widening tensions in West Asia.
Gandhi also referred to the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Israel, expressing concern over what she called “high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity,” particularly amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
She said the absence of a clear stance has raised “serious doubts about the direction and credibility” of India’s foreign policy. Gandhi demanded a discussion on the issue during the second part of the Budget session of Parliament.
The developments have escalated tensions across the Middle East, with heightened risks for civilians and expatriates in the region.
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