US-Iran War: Oppn takes swipe at PM Modi's foreign policy over Khamenei's ‘assassination’ - 'Betrayal of India's values'
US-Iran War: After the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, Congress leaders condemned the Indian government's response, labelling it a betrayal of national values and urging for the safety of Indian citizens in conflict zones.
US-Iran War: The Congress on Sunday said the government's response to the war unleashed on Iran has been a betrayal of India's values, principles and interests, as it claimed that the nation is paying a heavy price for both the substance and style of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.
Taking a swipe at PM Modi, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said India's foreign policy under the "self-styled Vishwaguru" stands brutally exposed, notwithstanding all the grandstanding on it by the PM's cheerleaders, led by himself.
"Modi visited Israel on February 25-26, 2026, at a time when the entire world was aware that a US-Israel military attack on Iran for regime change was imminent. The assault began just two days after Mr. Modi left Israel, where his speech to the Knesset was a display of shameful moral cowardice," Ramesh said on X.
"The Modi government's response to the war unleashed on Iran that has involved targeted assassinations has been a betrayal of India's values, principles, concerns, and interests," he alleged.
Ramesh's remarks come after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack by Israel and the United States. State media reported that the 86-year-old was killed in an air strike targeting his compound in downtown Tehran.
‘Genuflected before the Israeli PM, President Trump’
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also condemned the ‘targetted assassination’ of the leadership of a sovereign nation, Iran by the so-called leaders of the democratic world.
“The killing of multitudes of innocent people is despicable and deserves strong condemnation, no matter what the proclaimed reason for it is. It is tragic that multiple nations have now been dragged into conflict,” Vadra said in a post on X
The world needs peace, not more unnecessary wars. Those in charge of it would do well to remember Mahatma Gandhi’s words: An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” she said.
“I do hope that having genuflected before the Prime Minister of Israel and President Trump, our Prime Minister makes every effort to bring all Indian citizens in the affected countries back home to safety,” Vadra wrote.
The Congress on Saturday condemned the attacks launched on Iran by the US and Israel, and called upon the Indian government to help bring the hostilities to an end and ensure the safety of all Indians in the Middle East.
The opposition party expressed concern over the escalating hostilities in the region and urged the government to ensure that all Indians living there are safe.
The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, with Trump calling on the Iranian public to seize control of their destiny and rise up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled their country since 1979.
Puppet of Trump: Singh
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh wondered why PM Modi has not sent out a post on X over Khamenei’s killing. Singh recalled how the PM had declared one day of national mourning after the death of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed along with seven other people, when the helicopter they were travelling in came down near the border with Azerbaijan in May 2024.
“Modi ji, what happened today? You had declared a national mourning for the death of Iran's President. You're not even mustering the courage to tweet a single condolence for the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, because America is responsible for it. The country doesn't need such a cowardly Prime Minister who is a puppet of Trump,” Singh said in a post.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tonight chair a high-level security meet to assess the impact for India. West Asia conflict: PM Modi to chair Cabinet Committee on Security meet tonight
Modi will chair the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting around 10 pm today, after returning from Puducherry, news agency ANI said, quoting sources.
(With agency inputs)
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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