Malviya slams Opposition for linking Iran leader's death to PM's Israel visit

BJP's Amit Malviya hit out at the Opposition for linking the killing of Iran's leader to PM Modi's Israel visit. Citing a report, he said the strikes were planned before Modi's visit, calling the allegations 'nakedly partisan' and malicious.

BJP Slams 'Nakedly Partisan' Opposition

The BJP's IT Department in-charge, Amit Malviya, on Wednesday slammed the Opposition for linking the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Israel visit, calling it a "naked partisan" viewpoint.

Citing an Axios article, Amit Malviya claimed that the United States and Israel had planned the strikes before PM Modi's visit to Israel on February 25 and 26. The BJP leader called out the Opposition for attacking PM Modi with arguments "untethered from logic."

In an X post, Malviya wrote, "I almost pity India's Opposition and the Left ecosystem, including a section of the media, for how nakedly partisan they have become. Till yesterday, they were loudly alleging that the so-called Israel-US axis launched its attack on Iran with Prime Minister Modi's endorsement, conveniently linking it to his visit. The insinuation was deliberate and malicious."

"Now, fresh revelations indicate that the operation was planned for February 23, two days before the Prime Minister was even scheduled to arrive in Israel for a long pre-scheduled engagement. So much for their conspiracy theories," he added. Taking a jibe at the Opposition, the BJP leader said that with the "level of strategic depth and intellectual honesty," they will have a long haul in Opposition.

Amit Malviya wrote, "This is the problem with an Opposition driven by reflex rather than reason. The one PM Modi faces is so facile and immature that its arguments collapse under basic scrutiny. Much of its political undoing is entirely self-inflicted."

"Shrill rhetoric, groupthink, and narratives untethered from logic have become the hallmark of the Left ecosystem. Having been in power for decades, some among them still operate with a misplaced sense of entitlement, as if governance is their ordained right. With this level of strategic depth and intellectual honesty, they should be prepared for a long haul in Opposition," the X post stated.

Opposition Questions PM's Silence, Visit Timing

This comes after Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over the silence on the "targeted assassination" of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In an opinion piece in a national daily, Sonia Gandhi 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," Gandhi said.

Congress leader Raashid Alvi also demanded that PM Modi disclose his conversations with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Israel. Alvi told ANI, "The current government has destroyed India's foreign policy. PM is talking to the UAE rulers and others, but not with Iran. PM should tell people about his discussion with Netanyahu on this conflict. This is the reason for his silence. He has said that Israel is his fatherland, so how can he speak against his fatherland?"

US-Israel Strikes Kill Iranian Supreme Leader

US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28 targeted military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. The strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict.

Israeli Media reported that Ayatollah Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, has been chosen as the successor to his father and will take over as the Supreme Leader. (ANI)

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