Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has strongly criticized BJP-led Indian government’s silence on Israel’s ongoing assault in Gaza and the recent unprovoked military aggression on Iran, calling it “not just a loss of its voice, but also a surrender of values”.
In an article titled “It is still not too late for India’s voice to be heard”, published in ‘The Hindu’, Sonia Gandhi said, “New Delhi’s silence on the devastation in Gaza and now on the unprovoked escalation against Iran reflects a disturbing departure from our moral and diplomatic traditions. This represents not just a loss of voice but also a surrender of values”.
Referring to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Gandhi said, “The Narendra Modi government has all but abandoned India’s long-standing and principled commitment to a peaceful two-state solution, one that envisions a sovereign, independent Palestine living side-by-side with Israel.”
She condemned Israel’s June 13, 2025 airstrikes on Iran as “deeply troubling” and a breach of sovereignty. She said, “The world once again witnessed the dangerous consequences of unilateral militarism when Israel launched a deeply troubling and unlawful strike against Iran and its sovereignty”. She added that the Indian National Congress unequivocally condemned the attacks and the targeted assassinations on Iranian soil.
“As with so many of Israel’s recent actions, including its brutal and disproportionate campaign in Gaza, this operation was executed with utter disregard for civilian lives and regional stability. These actions will only deepen instability and sow the seeds of further conflict,” she noted.
The Congress leader also denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, saying, “He (Netanyahu) has a long and unfortunate record of undermining peace and nurturing extremism”. She said that given the record, “it is not surprising that Netanyahu would choose escalation over engagement”.
Gandhi, in the article, was also critical of US President Donald Trump for following a “destructive path” in West Asia, after having spoken against America’s endless wars.