New Delhi, Mar 13: The Indian National Congress on Friday criticised the Centre for its silence on the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of avoiding a clear response to avoid upsetting the United States and Israel.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said India had condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries but had not spoken out on the US–Israeli military strike on Iran that resulted in Khamenei’s death on February 28.
In a post on X, Ramesh said both the prime minister and the government had remained silent on the issue, noting that Parliament had not even made an obituary reference to the Iranian leader.
He also pointed out that when Iran’s former president Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May 2024, India had observed a day of mourning and Parliament had paid tribute when it convened.
The Congress leader questioned why a similar response had not been seen in the current situation, alleging that the government was hesitant due to its relations with Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.
The opposition party has also demanded a detailed discussion in both Houses of Parliament on the developments in West Asia and their implications for India, claiming the government has refused to allow such a debate.
Earlier this week, Congress members staged protests in Parliament and walked out of the Rajya Sabha after expressing dissatisfaction with the statement made by External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar regarding the crisis.
Jaishankar, in a suo motu statement, said India supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region and that the government is closely monitoring the evolving situation. He also noted that more than 67,000 Indian nationals had been brought back from the conflict zone.
The minister said the safety of Indian citizens abroad and the protection of national interests, including energy security and trade, remain the government’s top priorities amid the ongoing tensions.