From Our Correspondent
New Delhi: Congress leader and AICC Spokesperson Ms Supriya Shrinate on Monday strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for their “cowardly silence” and failure to protect Indian citizens following the killing of three Indian sailors in a US attack on a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters on 24 Akbar Road, Shrinate paid rich tributes to the deceased sailors—Deck Cadet Aditya Sharma from Himachal Pradesh, Engine Fitter Shivnand Chaurasia from Uttar Pradesh, and Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh from Andhra Pradesh. She expressed solidarity with their grieving families and asserted that the Congress party stands firmly with them in their hour of loss.
Shrinate referred to a video played during the briefing showing the heart-wrenching scenes of the bereaved families. She highlighted the case of Shivnand Chaurasia, whose maiden voyage ended tragically just nine months after joining service. The attack on MT Settebello on June 10-11 took place despite US forces knowing that Indian crew members formed a significant portion of the ship’s personnel. She pointed out that America had carried out multiple strikes in the Gulf of Oman, repeatedly targeting vessels with majority Indian crew.
The Congress leader expressed anguish over the public outrage, including instances of auto drivers in Delhi removing American flags. She questioned Modi’s absence from the national discourse at this critical time. While the Prime Minister was in France enjoying song and dance performances and extending hospitality with the French President, he failed to issue even a single statement of condolence or condemnation, she alleged.
Shrinate sharply criticised the government’s diplomatic response. She noted that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires on June 13 in a routine exercise and claimed to have registered India’s protest. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s subsequent statement, which justified the action and warned of consequences for non-compliance with US orders, exposed the weakness of India’s position, she said. “One of the two is lying,” she remarked, questioning why India did not rebut Rubio’s statement.
The Congress spokesperson raised serious concerns about India’s sovereignty and foreign policy. She questioned whether Modi would raise the killings during his expected meeting with US President Donald Trump, whom he often calls his “friend.” Drawing a parallel with Indian cricketers refusing to shake hands with Pakistanis after the Pahalgam massacre, she asked if Modi would shake hands with Trump given the circumstances.
Shrinate also opposed the impending visit of US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and the proposed trade deal, which she described as one-sided and detrimental to Indian farmers and industries. She demanded its immediate cancellation, citing the lack of remorse from the US and the $500 billion import commitment reportedly sought from India. She contrasted Modi’s approach with the assertive stances taken by previous Prime Ministers — Jawaharlal Nehru’s non-aligned policy, Indira Gandhi’s firm response to the US during the Bangladesh war, and Manmohan Singh’s swift action in the Devyani Khobragade case.
The Congress demanded that Modi address the nation, offer condolences to the families, register a strong protest with the US, seek an apology, and review security protocols for Indian seafarers. It welcomed any peace efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz but lamented India’s marginalisation from the peace process, unlike Pakistan’s involvement.
Shrinate reiterated that the slain sailors were ordinary citizens from modest backgrounds pursuing dreams of a better life, underscoring the government’s apathy towards common people.
