Compromised PM can't protect sons of Mother India: Rahul Gandhi on sailors' deaths

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths of three Indian sailors in US military strikes on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman, accusing him of maintaining a "deafening silence" and failing to protect Indian lives.

In a strongly worded post on X, Gandhi alleged that a "compromised Prime Minister cannot protect the sons of Mother India" and questioned why Modi had not responded to the deaths of the Indian seafarers, who were among the crew members aboard foreign-flagged merchant vessels targeted by US forces in the Gulf region earlier this week.

"Three Indians have been killed in US attacks on three ships in international waters within three days. And our Compromised PM? Not a single word. When any foreign power murders an Indian, the Prime Minister has to speak up. But heaven forbid he should utter even one word," Gandhi wrote.

The Congress MP also targeted Modi's ties with the United States, alleging that the Prime Minister would continue to prioritise his relationship with US President Donald Trump despite the deaths of Indian nationals.

"Next week at the G7, just days after the murder of our sailors, Modi ji will smile, embrace, and sign agreements - but for those three Indians, he won't have a word to spare," the Congress leader attacked.

The remarks came amid growing political scrutiny over a series of US military actions against commercial vessels operating near Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.

On June 10, US forces struck the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello, with an Indian crew, off the coast of Oman. While 21 crew members were rescued, three sailors were reported missing and were later confirmed dead.

The incident came two days after another Palau-flagged oil tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was disabled by US forces as part of efforts to enforce a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

Another vessel, Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker with 20 Indian crew members on board, was attacked on Thursday.

The deaths triggered strong reactions from the Congress, which on Thursday condemned what it described as America's "reckless military actions" and demanded that the Indian government take all necessary diplomatic measures to establish accountability.

The opposition party also argued that Modi, who has frequently highlighted his personal rapport with Trump as a diplomatic asset, cannot evade responsibility when that relationship fails to safeguard Indian lives and interests.

On Thursday, India strongly condemned the US strike, saying such attacks "must cease immediately" and calling for dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace and stability in the region.

"The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. These attacks must cease and end. We also call for dialogue and diplomacy so that we can have an early return to peace and stability in the region," the External Affairs Ministry said.

The government also summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks on Friday and lodged a strong protest over the attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members. It was the second time in two days that the US mission in New Delhi was summoned by the MEA over the escalating maritime security crisis.

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