Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths of three Indian seafarers in US military strikes on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman, alleging that the government had failed to adequately respond to the incident.
In a post on X, Gandhi questioned the Prime Minister's silence and accused him of failing to defend Indian interests after the deaths of the sailors.
"Three Indians have been killed in US attacks on three ships in international waters within three days. And our compromised PM... not a single word," Gandhi said.
The Congress leader argued that the Prime Minister should publicly raise the issue when Indian citizens are killed by a foreign power. He also criticised Modi ahead of the upcoming G7 summit, claiming the government had not spoken strongly enough on behalf of the victims.
Congress demands accountability
The Congress on Thursday condemned the US military actions that targeted three merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members and demanded accountability for the deaths.
Also read: Trump accuses Iran of attacking ships with Indian crew on board
In a statement, the party expressed condolences to the families of the deceased sailors and urged the government to provide immediate assistance, adequate compensation and support for the repatriation of the mortal remains.
The opposition party also called on the Centre to take diplomatic measures to ensure accountability and safeguard Indian nationals working in the Gulf region.
Three vessels targeted
India on Thursday confirmed that three merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members came under attack by the US military off the coast of Oman over the past four days.
A Palau-flagged tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was struck on June 8, though all crew members were rescued. Another Palau-flagged vessel, Settebello, was hit on June 10, resulting in the deaths of three Indian sailors.
A third vessel, Jalveer, carrying 20 Indians, was attacked on Thursday.
The Ministry of External Affairs has lodged a strong protest with the United States and summoned US Chargé d'Affaires Jason Meeks. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the attacks must stop immediately.
Follow us
