Hyderabad, March 23 Congress leaders on Monday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, alleging that the government had failed to safeguard India's interests and had delayed addressing the issue despite its potential impact on the country.
Rahul Gandhi’s close aide and former Congress MP Madhu Goud Yaskhi said the Prime Minister had failed to adequately respond to the developments in the region where hostilities are continuing, and several countries are affected.
Speaking to IANS, Yaskhi said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi, had repeatedly flagged concerns about the possible consequences of the war on India and Indians living in the region, but the government had not acted with urgency.
“The Prime Minister has absolutely failed to protect Indian interests in West Asian countries where war is ongoing. The Leader of Opposition has consistently raised concerns about the impending impact of the war on India and Indians living abroad,” he said.
Yaskhi also questioned the government’s diplomatic approach, claiming that the Centre had not even publicly condemned the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader/
“What kind of diplomacy is Prime Minister Modi showing here?” he asked.
Yaskhi further said that on issues of national interest, political parties have historically come together, recalling that when the country faced crises in the past, the Opposition supported the government.
"When the country was at war, while we were in the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi stood by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. When it comes to national interest, we are all united," he said.
He also referred to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, saying the situation required unity among political parties rather than political disagreements.
According to Yaskhi, the Prime Minister should immediately convene an all-party meeting to discuss the implications of the conflict.
"The best thing the Prime Minister can do is call for an all-party meeting immediately and discuss the situation both inside and outside Parliament. Simply calling his Cabinet colleagues doesn’t mean anything," he said.
Yaskhi added that previous Prime Ministers had followed a consultative approach in times of international crises by seeking the views of Opposition parties.
"Democracy demands a strong Opposition. The Prime Minister has failed to take people across along with him, nor has he reached out to the principal Opposition party," he said.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader V. Hanumanth Rao also questioned the timing of the Prime Minister’s remarks on the issue, saying the government should have addressed the matter earlier.
“The Prime Minister is speaking now after 18 or 19 days have passed. What kind of way is this?” Rao told IANS.
He also expressed concern that the conflict between Iran and Israel could have economic consequences for India, particularly in terms of fuel prices.
"Because of this, problems related to oil and petrol will increase. I believe petrol and diesel prices may rise from Rs 100 to Rs 200. Who will be responsible for that?" Rao asked.
Rao further said the Iran–Israel conflict had created anxiety among people across the country and argued that stronger diplomatic efforts should have been made earlier to prevent escalation.
"Because of the Iran–Israel conflict, the whole country is worried. The war should have been stopped when it began. Now lakhs of people have already suffered losses, and only now they are speaking about it in the Parliament," he added.
He also questioned the global response to the conflict and called for stronger efforts to restore peace in the region.
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