‘Na afsoos, na maafi’: Rahul Gandhi calls PM Modi ‘compromised’ over US statements

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over US remarks following American strikes that killed three Indian sailors, alleging that the prime minister had taken a submissive stance and was merely following Washington’s directives, PTI reported.

Gandhi also said that “a compromised PM” will not defend the nation's honour because he is beholden to those who insult the country.

His remarks come a day after the US said it conveyed to India that any violation of its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed this to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who spoke with him on Friday to lodge a strong protest against the death of Indian nationals in US attacks on ships off the coast of Oman.

"Read their words: 'Obey US military orders immediately.' No violation 'will be tolerated'," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

"A sovereign nation would never tolerate such language. But our compromised PM? Silent. He listens like an obedient servant and complies with the orders," Gandhi said.

"A compromised PM will not defend the nation's honor because he is beholden to those who insult the country," he said.

In another post in Hindi, Gandhi referred to the death of an Indian national due to medical complications aboard a vessel currently docked at the Duqm Port in Oman.

"Under a compromised PM, being an Indian means facing a wretched plight. Foreign powers kill our citizens. Our government meekly obeys orders like an obedient servant and our citizens are left to rot," he said.

"Bring this Indian home. Now," Gandhi said, tagging a post quoting the Indian captain of MT Celestial as saying that the body of his second officer is decomposing.

The Indian national died due to medical complications aboard a vessel currently docked at the Duqm Port in Oman, according to the Indian embassy in Muscat.

In a post on X on Saturday, the Indian mission identified the deceased as Nishanth Uirthanathan, who was on board MT Celestial when he passed away.

"Indian national Mr Nishanth Uirthanathan passed away due to medical complications," it said, adding his mortal remains are currently on the vessel at the Duqm Port.

The embassy said it has been in continuous contact with the ship management company and is coordinating with all concerned stakeholders.

"Necessary arrangements are being made for the early repatriation of the mortal remains to India," the embassy said, as it conveyed its condolences to the bereaved family.

According to State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, Secretary of State Rubio, in his call with Jaishankar, stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait.

Rubio underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated, Pigott said in Washington.

The US has imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz since April 13, preventing transit of ships to and from the ports of the Islamic Republic as part of its efforts to restrict Tehran from profiting from oil trade.

Three vessels with Indian crew came under attack off the Oman coast this week. One of them resulted in the death of three Indian seafarers on Wednesday.

Jaishankar then called Rubio to protest their death in a US military strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman.

Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified, Jaishankar had said in a post on X after he spoke with Rubio.

Hours later, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of launching drone attacks on Indian-linked ships departing the Strait of Hormuz, calling the alleged actions “totally unacceptable.”

“Their (Iran's) totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. They better get their act together and FAST,” Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social.

Iran vehemently rejected Trump's allegation.The US president's accusation against Iran regarding an Indian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is simply baseless, the Iranian Embassy in India said.

"It is an attempt to divert public attention from the brutal fact that the US has attacked 3 Indian vessels in less than a week and killed 3 innocent Indian sailors. That's pathetic!" it said in a social media post late Friday night.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been heavily disrupted since February 28, when joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a cycle of retaliatory attacks. Maritime traffic has remained severely affected despite a fragile ceasefire that took effect on April 8, with vessel movements through the strategic waterway continuing at well below normal levels.

(With inputs from agencies)