Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday criticized the Central government, accusing the Prime Minister Modi-led government of maintaining silence on the ongoing conflict since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
He described the government’s stance as “moral cowardice and political betrayal of India’s civilizational values”.
In a post on Twitter, Ramesh questioned the government’s stand and said that more than three weeks have passed since the air strike on Iran. He alleged that the Center has neither condemned the attacks nor taken any diplomatic initiative to reduce tension in the region.
He commented, “It has been exactly 21 days or three weeks since the air strikes on Iran by the US and Israel began. It has also been 23 days since the Prime Minister returned from his visit to Israel. Has the Modi government condemned, criticized or protested against this massive air strike on Iran by the US and Israel, which has caused a serious economic crisis everywhere, including India? The answer is, no.”
He further asked, “Has the Modi government condemned, criticized or condemned the targeted killings of Iran’s top leaders by the US and Israel, which are continuing? The answer is no. Has the Modi government condemned, criticized or condemned the brutal efforts being made by the US and Israel to bring about regime change and state collapse in Iran, which could lead to civil war in Iran? The answer is no.”
He said, “Has the Modi government made serious diplomatic efforts and initiatives to immediately stop the bombing of Iran and Iran’s attacks on energy and other essential infrastructure in the Gulf countries? Has the Prime Minister used his much-vaunted friendship with the US President and the Israeli Prime Minister to broker a ceasefire? The answer is no.”
He further said, “These four ‘No’s’ reflect moral cowardice and political betrayal of India’s civilizational values.”
His comments come amid rising tensions in West Asia, where the US has intensified its military operations against Iran. US President Donald Trump indicated on Friday (local time) that Washington is close to achieving its objectives and may soon end its military campaign.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump outlined key goals, including crippling Iran’s missile capabilities, destroying its defense infrastructure and preventing it from acquiring a nuclear capability. He also stressed the importance of protecting US allies in the region, including Israel and the Gulf states.
Meanwhile, US Central Command has reported heavy damage to Iranian military assets under “Operation Epic Fury”, including attacks on drone production facilities and naval infrastructure. The Pentagon said thousands of targets have been hit in recent operations.