New Delhi: The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has written to the US Ambassador, Sergio Gore, demanding accountability for those responsible for the attacks that killed three Indian sailors and seeking adequate compensation and justice for the families of the victims.
The Justice and Equality Movement also called for ensuring that such acts are not repeated by adhering to international legal obligations.
Three Indian sailors were killed last week following the US attack on a tanker off the coast of Oman. Expressing concern over the safety of Indian sailors amid tensions in West Asia, New Delhi also issued a statement condemning the attack and summoned US Charge d’Affairs Jason Meeks to register a strong protest over the incident.
The Justice and Equality Movement (SJM), the economic wing of the RSS, the ideological wellspring of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, demanded that those responsible for the incident be held accountable and that the dignity and safety of the Indian sailors be preserved at all costs.
“We would like to emphasize that India reserves the right to raise this issue in appropriate international forums, including the United Nations and IMO, to ensure that justice is not delayed or denied,” said Ashwani Mahajan, co-national coordinator of the organisation.
Mahajan said the “tragic and unjustified killing” of three unarmed Indian sailors by the US armed forces had sent a wave of disbelief and anger among the people of India.
“…We would like to remind the US administration that this action by the US Armed Forces represents a serious violation of international law governing the seas, armed conflict and human rights,” Mahajan wrote.
Pointing to the attacks as a clear violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which guarantees freedom and safety of navigation in international waters, the SJM added that the action by the US armed forces “endangering the lives of innocent people and killing them at sea strikes the foundation of international maritime cooperation.”
The JEM called for a time-bound investigation and noted that under international human rights law, such actions also violate the universally recognized right to life.
“We are compelled to say that the killing of innocent Indian sailors is not just a bilateral issue – it is a challenge to the rules-based international order. Allowing such actions would erode the sanctity of international law and jeopardize global maritime security,” Mahajan wrote.
