Picture : ANI/X
The Opposition has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Israel as the US and Israel launched military attacks on Iran.
The Congress termed Modi’s visit to Israel “shameful” and “ill-timed,” saying it creates the perception of a political endorsement of military escalation which is deeply antithetical to India’s historic commitment to a rules-based international order.
In a statement, Salman Khurshid, Chairman of the Congress Foreign Affairs Department, said the Congress is “deeply concerned” at Modi’s visit to Israel from February 25 to 26 at a moment of heightened tensions, a breakout of hostilities and the palpable risk of wider conflict and the palpable risk of wider conflict in West Asia.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that his country has begun “major combat operations in Iran” after Israel launched strikes.
The Congress said Modi’s visit is “particularly ill-timed” because it creates a perception of partisan alignment and tacit endorsement of unprovoked aggression could have grave strategic consequences. It also said it risks conveying alignment with and endorsement of an incumbent government ahead of national elections.
“Prime Minister Modi’s visit at this juncture creates the perception of a political endorsement of military escalation, which is deeply antithetical to India’s historic commitment to a rules-based international order and the United Nations Charter-particularly the prohibition on the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State (Article 2 [4]) and the peaceful settlement of disputes (Article 2 [3]),” Khurshid said.
Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh also that two days after Modi “celebrated his visit to Israel”, Israel and the US began their joint assault on Iran.
“This was fully expected given their military build-up in the last few months. Mr. Modi nevertheless chose to go to Israel, where he displayed the highest moral cowardice. He declared that India stood with Israel and got himself an award for saying so.
“This Israel visit was shameful and it is even more so in light of the war that has been launched by two of Mr. Modi’s ‘good friends’,” Ramesh wrote on X.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi too claimed that Modi’s recent visit to Israel was “untimely” and alleged that the country used the visit to its advantage.
The Hyderabad MP said Modi should clarify whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed him about a planned attack on Iran.
If Netanyahu had informed him, Modi should have cut short the visit and returned to India, he said. If not, it would amount to a betrayal of the people of India, he added.
“They (Israel) used the Prime Minister’s visit to justify their attack on Iran and to cover up their actions against Palestinians in Gaza,” Owaisi told reporters.
He further said the development could create an impression that India supports Israel rather than Iran.
Questioning the outcome of the visit, Owaisi asked what benefit India had derived from the situation.
