BJP's Prakash Reddy slams Sonia Gandhi's West Asia editorial 'ridiculous'

BJP leader Prakash Reddy termed Sonia Gandhi's editorial on the West Asia conflict 'ridiculous,' defending PM Modi's foreign policy. Reddy accused Congress of supporting terror, while Gandhi had criticized the government's silence on Iran.

BJP leader Prakash Reddy on Tuesday strongly criticised Congress MP Sonia Gandhi's recent editorial on the ongoing West Asia conflict, calling it "ridiculous."

BJP Slams Sonia Gandhi's Editorial as 'Ridiculous'

Speaking to ANI, Reddy emphasised India's clear foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Sonia Gandhi's letter in connection with the Iran-America-Israel war is ridiculous. The government of India, under the leadership of PM Modi, is very clear, and its external policy is very clear. We are friendly with everyone... Whichever is in India's interest, we are supporting that country. As far as Iran is concerned, when Iran was supporting Hamas, terrorist activities and terrorist groups, we condemned it," Prakash Reddy said.

Congress Accused of Indirectly Supporting Terrorism

Reddy further accused Congress of indirectly supporting terrorist activities, asking them their stance on the killing of Israeli citizens by Hamas back in October 2023. "We supported wherever the issue or requirement was. The Prime Minister is speaking to all the Arab countries in connection with the war. The escalation of war is not good for anybody, but at the same time, the Congress party should understand that when Hamas attacked the Israeli people, killed them and kidnapped them brutally, at that time, what was the Congress's stand? Were they in favour of Hamas? The Congress party is indirectly supporting terrorist activities," Reddy said.

Sonia Gandhi Criticises Government's 'Silence'

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, stating that the government's silence on the "targeted assassination of Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is "not neutral but an abdication."

Sonia Gandhi, in her opinion piece in the Indian Express, said India's lack of response "signals tacit endorsement of this tragedy." On March 1, Iran confirmed that its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, had been assassinated in targeted strikes carried out the previous day by the United States and Israel. The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations. Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence," Sonia Gandhi said in her opinion piece.

"Initially, ignoring the massive US-Israeli onslaught, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) confined himself to condemning Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Later, he uttered platitudes about his 'deep concern' and talked of 'dialogue and diplomacy' -- which is precisely what was underway before the massive unprovoked attacks launched by Israel and the US," she added.

Doubts Raised on India's Foreign Policy Direction

Sonia Gandhi raised doubts over the direction in which India's foreign policy is heading "When the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defence of sovereignty or international law from our country and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of our foreign policy," he said.

Concerns Over PM Modi's Israel Visit

She also flagged PM Modi's visit to Israel just before the attacks on Iran and expressed concern over "India's high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity."

"The unease is compounded by the timing. Barely 48 hours before the assassination, the Prime Minister returned from a visit to Israel, where he reiterated unequivocal support for the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, even as the Gaza conflict continues to draw global outrage over the scale of civilian casualties, many of them women and children," Sonia Gandhi said.

"At a time when much of the Global South, along with major powers and India's partners in BRICS such as Russia and China, have kept their distance, India's high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity marks a visible and troubling departure, she added.

Sonia Gandhi also demanded a discussion on the government's "disturbing silence" in the second part of the Budget session.

Background: West Asia Conflict Escalation

US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities.

In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)