Congress leader Sonia Gandhi
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday, June 27, accused the Narendra Modi’s central government of maintaining “stony silence and inaction” over Israel’s military operations in Gaza Strip saying India’s response to the conflict was inconsistent with both its moral values and national interests.
The remarks, made in an opinion article published in The Indian Express, received support from senior Congress leaders before drawing criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Gandhi based her arguments on a recent report by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Describing the findings as “a harrowing read”, she said the report documented widespread destruction in Gaza and alleged that Israel had deliberately targeted children and civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. She wrote that the humanitarian crisis reflected “the extent of the devastation” caused by Israel’s military campaign.
While describing Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel as “dastardly, horrific, and absolutely unacceptable”, Gandhi argued that Israel’s response had been marked by “wanton cruelty and barbarity”. She alleged that statements made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli leaders pointed to genocidal intent and claimed continued backing from the United States had enabled Israel to continue its offensive.
The Congress leader also said the United Nations had been unable to take effective action because of US opposition, but noted that several countries had recognised Palestinian statehood, South Africa had approached the International Court of Justice against Israel, some European nations had imposed restrictions on arms exports to Israel and the International Criminal Court had issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.
Turning to India’s position, Gandhi wrote that “India remains a lone voice of silence” despite growing international concern over Gaza. Referring to the UN inquiry headed by retired Justice S. Muralidhar, she said its findings had been met with “stony silence” from the Modi government. Gandhi also referred to Justice Muralidhar’s transfer from the Delhi High Court after his observations on alleged police inaction during the 2020 Delhi riots.
She argued that India, historically recognised for its commitment to postcolonial solidarity, national sovereignty and international peace, had become “exceptional” for its “continued indifference” to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Gandhi said India was “slipping further into Israel’s strategic orbit” at a time when much of the world was reassessing its ties with Israel.
Questioning the strategic consequences of the government’s policy, Gandhi wrote that India had alienated long-standing partners, including Palestine, Iran and countries across the Middle East. She also argued that Pakistan had been able to project itself as a mediator in the region despite India’s historical ties with key stakeholders.
Gandhi referred to the case of five-year-old Hind Rajab, whose death during the war attracted global attention, describing it as a symbol of the suffering endured by Palestinian children. She also criticised the delay in clearing a film based on Rajab’s story in India, alleging that it was initially blocked to avoid offending Israel before being approved following public pressure.
Concluding the article, Gandhi wrote that “the spirit of Indian nationhood” required India to stand with Palestinians and argued that both morality and the “calculus of national interest” demanded that New Delhi speak out on Gaza. She said the Modi government’s “continued silence simply cannot be explained rationally or morally”.
The article was backed by several senior Congress leaders. In separate posts on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described it as a reminder that the Modi government’s foreign policy had distanced India from its long-standing allies in Palestine, Iran and the wider Middle East.
Rahul Gandhi said India should “reclaim its independent foreign policy, uphold humanitarian values, and speak up with moral clarity on Gaza”, while Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called it “a timely reminder” of India’s commitment to justice, peace and international law.
Speaking to ANI, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of placing “vote policy above foreign policy”. He questioned why the party spoke about “the Muslims of Gaza and Rafah” but, according to him, remained silent “when a Hindu is killed in Dhaka”. Poonawalla said the Centre had repeatedly clarified its position on Palestine and Gaza and continued to maintain diplomatic relations with Iran, the United States, Russia and Ukraine.
Speaking to IANS, BJP leader T R Srinivas rejected Gandhi’s criticism, saying she had taken a “narrow view of appeasement”. He said India’s position was centred on promoting peace, ending violence and encouraging dialogue rather than supporting one side in the conflict.
Also speaking to IANS, BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan said Gandhi should focus on the Congress party’s organisational challenges instead of commenting on international affairs. Referring to the party’s condition in Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, he urged the Congress to “introspect and conduct self-analysis”.