Modi govt’s failure to condemn attacks on Iran shows moral cowardice of civilisational values: Congress
NEW DELHI, March 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday conveyed Eid and Nowruz greetings to the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, expressing hope that this festive season brings peace, stability and prosperity to West Asia.
In his telephonic conversation with the Iranian leader, Prime Minister Modi condemned the attacks on critical infrastructure in the region, which threaten regional stability and disrupt global supply chains, and reiterated the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation and ensuring that shipping lanes remain open and secure.
“Spoke with President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian and conveyed Eid and Nowruz greetings. We expressed hope that this festive season brings peace, stability and prosperity to West Asia,” the prime minister said in a post on ‘X’.
“Condemned attacks on critical infrastructure in the region, which threaten regional stability and disrupt global supply chains,” he said.
The prime minister also appreciated Iran’s continued support for the safety and security of Indian nationals in Iran.
This was the second telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Modi and the Iranian President since the present conflict started on February 28.
On March 12, President Pezeshkian briefed Prime Minister Modi on the current situation in Iran and shared his perspective on recent developments in the region.
The prime minister had expressed deep concern about the evolving security situation in the region and reiterated India’s consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, drawing retaliation from Iran which targeted its neighbours and Israel.
Iran also controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which 20 per cent of the world’s energy is transported. Since the conflict, very few ships have been allowed by Iran to cross it.
PM Modi has also spoken to a number of world leaders since the conflict started. These include leaders from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, France and Malaysia.
CONGRESS ATTACKS MODI
The Congress on Saturday said the Modi government’s failure to condemn the US-Israel aerial assault on Iran and “force a brutal regime change” there reflected the “moral cowardice” and “political betrayal” of India’s civilisational values.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi also did not use his much-claimed friendship with the US president (Donald Trump) and the Israeli prime minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) to bring about a cease-fire.
In a statement shared on X, Ramesh said it has been exactly 21 days or three weeks since the aerial assault of the US and Israel on Iran began.
It has also been 23 days since the prime minister returned from his “much-trumpeted” visit to Israel, he said.
“Has the Modi government condemned or criticised or deplored the launch of the heavy aerial assault on Iran by the US and Israel that has now led to severe economic dislocations everywhere, including India? The answer is NO.
“Has the Modi government condemned or criticised or deplored the targeted assassinations of top Iranian leaders by the US and Israel that continue unabated? The answer is NO.
“Has the Modi government condemned or criticised or deplored the brutal efforts of the US and Israel to force a regime change and state collapse that could lead to civil war in Iran? The answer is NO,” the Congress leader said.
“Has the Modi government mounted serious diplomatic efforts and initiatives to bring the bombing of Iran and Iran’s attacks on energy and other essential infrastructure in the Gulf countries to an immediate halt?
Has the PM used his much-claimed friendship with the US president and the Israeli PM to bring about a cease-fire? The answer is NO,” he added.
“These 4 NOs reflect the moral cowardice and political betrayal of India’s civilisational values,” the Congress general secretary alleged.
The three-week war has shown no signs of abating, with Israel saying Iran continued to fire missiles at it early Saturday, while Saudi Arabia said it downed 20 drones in just a couple of hours in the country’s eastern region, which is home to major oil installations.
Iran has also fired at energy sites in the Gulf countries and has now threatened recreational and tourist sites worldwide.
The US is deploying more warships and another 2,500 Marines, three weeks into the war it launched alongside Israel.
The death toll has risen to more than 1,300 in Iran, over 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 US military members in the region, with millions displaced in Lebanon and Iran.
UAE ASSURES SAFETY OF INDIANS
The UAE has assured India that the safety of Indians living in the Gulf country is its “priority”, stressing that they are protected and treated like family, especially amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia which has seen the emirate facing attacks from Iran.
UAE Ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali also hailed India’s move to co-sponsor a UN resolution that condemned Iran’s attacks against Gulf countries, saying it was a statement of principle from a country that the UAE considers a strategic partner and friend, at a moment when it mattered most. The UAE will remember that India was among those “who stood with us first”, he said.
“The safety of Indian nationals in the UAE is a priority. They are protected and are treated as family, including the 200 nationalities living in the country in peace and harmony,” Alshaali told PTI Videos.
He said that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited five injured civilians in the hospital: two Emiratis, one Indian, one Sudanese and one Iranian.
He said: “They are all our responsibility.” “Four million Indians live in the UAE; they are not a statistic. They are the son from Kerala sending money home each month so his mother can pay her medical bills, the engineer from Hyderabad building infrastructure that will stand for a century, the teacher from Tamil Nadu shaping the futures of Emirati children,” he said. (PTI)
