Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday called on the Centre to comment on the Israel-Palestine and Israel-Iran conflicts, saying India’s silence represents not just a loss of voice but also “a surrender of values”.
In an article in ‘The Hindu’, Sonia Gandhi alleged that the Indian government was earlier silent on Israel’s offensive in Gaza, and is doing the same during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The Congress veteran also accused the government of abandoning India’s long-standing and principled commitment to a peaceful two-nation solution envisioning an independent Palestine along with Israel.
“New Delhi’s silence on the devastation in Gaza and now on the unprovoked escalation against Iran reflects a disturbing departure from our moral and diplomatic traditions. This represents not just a loss of voice but also a surrender of values,” Sonia Gandhi wrote in the article.
Her opinion piece comes days after the external affairs ministry expressed deep concern after Israel launched waves of airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites.
Emphasising that India could still speak on the two key global issues, Sonia said India should use every diplomatic channel to promote a return to dialogue in West Asia.
She also said that in the face of this humanitarian catastrophe, “the Narendra Modi government has all but abandoned India’s long-standing and principled commitment to a peaceful two-state solution, one that envisions a sovereign, independent Palestine living side-by-side with Israel in mutual security and dignity.”
Defending Iran’s sovereignty in light of Israel’s “troubling and unlawful” strikes on June 13, Sonia said the world has “witnessed the dangerous consequences of unilateral militarism”.
Drawing parallels with the situation in Gaza for nearly two years now, the Congress leader alleged that Israel struck parts of Iran with utter disregard to civilian lives. However, when Israel struck Iran, it said it targeted nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists.
“These actions will only deepen instability and sow the seeds of further conflict,” she noted, adding that Congress has condemned these bombings and targeted assassinations on Iranian soil.
‘Iran a long-standing friend’
As she called on the government to voice its opinion on the Israel-Iran conflict, Sonia Gandhi spoke highly of the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying the country has been a long-standing friend to India.
“It has a history of steadfast support, including in Jammu and Kashmir at crucial junctures. In 1994, Iran helped block a resolution critical of India at the UN Commission on Human Rights on the Kashmir issue,” she noted.
“Indeed, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been much more cooperative with India than its predecessor, the Imperial State of Iran, that had tilted towards Pakistan in the 1965 and 1971 wars,” she added.
Referring to the India-Israel strategic relations in recent decades, she said, “This unique position gives our country the moral responsibility and the diplomatic leverage to act as a bridge for de-escalation and peace.”
She also brought attention to a significant number of Indian nationals living and working across West Asia, and how a conflict there affects their lives too.
Big attack on Netanyahu, Trump
Lashing out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sonia Gandhi alleged that the government led by him “has a long and unfortunate record of undermining peace and nurturing extremism”.
She alleged that given the record, “it is not surprising that Netanyahu would choose escalation over engagement”.
After the Israel-Iran conflict began on June 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Israeli counterpart and conveyed India’s concerns about the situation in West Asia. He had called for the early restoration of peace in the region.
Sonia Gandhi also slammed US President Donald Trump, who has taken a tough stance against Iran amid the ongoing conflict, and is deliberating on whether the US military would step in.
She referred to Trump calling his own director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard “wrong” in saying that the US believed Iran was not building a nuclear weapon, and said his remark was “deeply disappointing”.
“Israel’s recent actions against Iran have taken place in an atmosphere of impunity, enabled by near-unconditional support from powerful western nations,” Gandhi said.
