‘Boasting, silent on US’: Congress attacks PM Modi over West Asia remarks

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi A sharp attack on the Prime Minister on Monday Narendra Modiclaiming he was “compromised” and unable to participate in parliamentary debates, while criticizing his recent remarks on conflicts in West Asia.Rahul Gandhi, speaking at the Adivasi Adhikar Samvidhan Sammelan in Vadodara, claimed that the Prime Minister avoided naming the United States in his Lok Sabha speech and said he was “100 per cent under the control of US President Donald Trump”.“I heard that the Prime Minister gave a speech for 25 minutes. But I guarantee that he cannot participate in the debate in Parliament because he was compromised. Narendra Modi spoke for 25 minutes but did not say anything against the United States. Narendra Modi is 100% under Trump’s control,” the Prime Minister said.Rahul Gandhi also criticized the government’s approach to trade, claiming it would harm Indian farmers.Rahul Gandhi said: “Narendra Modi has opened up the Indian agriculture sector to the US through trade deals. Here we have small farms, while in the US we have large farms covering thousands of acres. Here, people work with their hands, and there, the work is done with big machines. If US goods start coming into India, our farmers will go bankrupt.”He further accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of undermining tribal rights, claiming that the word ‘Vanvasi’ was being used to dilute the identity of the adivasis.“Adivasi means the original inhabitants of India, the legal owners (‘jal-jangal-jameen’) of the land, water and forests. But the RSS-BJP has introduced a new term – ‘Vanvasi’, which means you live only in the forest and are not the legal owners of these resources. Narendra Modi and BJP leaders folded their hands in front of Birsa Munda’s statue, but they attacked the ideals for which Birsa Munda fought and died. When the BJP takes away the land, water and forests of the Adivasis, it is not only an attack on Birsa Munda but also on the Constitution,” he said.Prime Minister Modi’s remarks came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Lok Sabha on the current conflict in West Asia, describing the situation as “worrying” and outlining its economic, security and humanitarian implications for India.Congress leaders also criticized the Prime Minister’s speech. Party leader Pawan Khera questioned the intention behind the speech, saying: “…maybe this speech was made with the upcoming elections in mind… The first question is, why did you go to Israel? We want answers. We want a commitment from the prime minister that there will be no increase in the price of LNG, LPG, gasoline or diesel even after the elections.”..”Congressman Jairam Ramesh also lashed out at the prime minister, accusing him of failing to condemn US and Israeli attacks on Iran and calling his speech a “masterclass in braggadocio and partisan dialogue”.“The Prime Minister’s uncharacteristically brief speech in the Lok Sabha today was, as usual, a masterclass in braggadocio, cowardice and partisan dialogue – baazi (dramatic dialogue). Not a single word was uttered to condemn the continued US and Israeli air strikes against Iran. Iran’s attacks on the Gulf states and the Strait of Hormuz are of course completely unacceptable, but so is the relentless bombing of Iran with the aim of regime change and state collapse,” Ramesh wrote on X.Responding to Modi’s mention of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramesh added: “Finally, the Prime Minister’s invocation of the COVID-19 pandemic is alarming. His government’s response has been uniquely disastrous. The country cannot forget the depressing scenes that were all too common at the time – thousands of migrants walking home barefoot, thousands dying from lack of oxygen, and millions losing their jobs.” We can only hope there is more preparation this time around.“In his speech, the prime minister said the conflict presented “unprecedented challenges” to India, particularly because of its dependence on the region’s crude and natural gas and its importance to global trade routes.This war also brought unprecedented challenges to India. These challenges are both economic, national security and humanitarian. India had extensive trade relations with belligerents and war-affected countries. The area where this war took place is also an important channel for our trade with other countries around the world. In particular, most of our needs for crude oil and natural gas are met by this region,” he said.Amid supply uncertainty, the government is prioritizing domestic LPG consumers and is working to ensure uninterrupted supply of petrol and diesel, he added, noting that India maintains strategic petroleum reserves of over 5.3 million tonnes.The Prime Minister’s statement comes as tensions in West Asia continue to escalate. On February 28, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint US-Israeli attack, triggering Iranian retaliatory attacks and disrupting major sea routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.