'Not...single word': Rahul Gandhi slams Modi's silence on sailors' killings
What's the story
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over the killing of three Indian sailors in United States Navy attacks. The sailors were killed on the Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello on June 10. Calling Modi a "compromised PM," he said "when any foreign power murders an Indian, the Prime Minister has to speak up. But heaven forbid he should utter even one word."
Political criticism
Gandhi's scathing attack on PM Modi
While the PM has chosen to remain quiet over the sailors' deaths, Gandhi predicted that at the upcoming G7 summit next week, "Modi ji will smile, embrace, and sign agreements - but for those three Indians, he won't have a word to spare." He wrote on X, "A Compromised PM cannot protect the sons of Mother India, because he lacks either the courage or the strength to confront those who took the lives of those sons."
Diplomatic response
India lodges protest with US over attacks
India has lodged a strong protest with the United States over its Navy's attacks on merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks again on Friday. The ministry once again conveyed its deep concern "over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping." It said such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time.
Attack rationale
US Central Command confirms attacks on vessels
The US Chargé d'Affaires was urged to communicate India's grave concerns to his authorities and to ensure that US forces operating in the region take all necessary efforts to prevent civilian casualties. The US Central Command confirmed that the vessels were attacked for allegedly attempting to breach the US naval blockade of Iran. The Palau-flagged tankers Marivex and Settebello were struck on June 8 and June 10, respectively. The Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker MT Jalveer was attacked on Thursday.