Congress parliamentary party leader Sonia Gandhi has criticized the Narendra Modi-led Central government for maintaining “silence and inaction” over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, arguing that India’s response to the conflict was against its “morals” and “national interests”.
“The extent of the devastation committed by Israel in Gaza and the genocidal intent that underlies its actions has been documented,” Gandhi, citing a report on the Gaza war, in an opinion piece published in The Indian Express.
She said the deaths and injuries to children in Gaza show that “the targeting of children is not accidental, but a deliberate strategy,” adding that the destruction of schools and healthcare infrastructure has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis.
Gandhi said that while Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 was “treacherous” and “completely unacceptable,” Israel’s subsequent military response was characterized by “deliberate cruelty and barbarism.”
“Senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his senior colleagues in the government themselves, have called for a ‘total blockade’ and ‘total annihilation’ of Gaza,” she wrote, claiming that such statements reflect genocidal intent.
The congressional leader also criticized the US role under President Donald Trump, saying Washington’s support allowed Israel to continue its campaign in Gaza. She said that several countries have since recognized Palestine and that international bodies have documented the alleged violations.
Turning her criticism of India’s foreign policy, Gandhi said: “India remains the only voice of silence” despite growing international concern over the situation in Gaza.
“Stone Silence”
She accused the Modi government of ignoring Justice Muralidhar’s report on the Gaza issue, linking it to his previous criticism of alleged police inaction during the 2020 Delhi riots. “Justice Muralidhar’s report, which sparked renewed debate and activism against the Gaza genocide, was met with stony silence from the Narendra Modi government,” she wrote.
Gandhi said India had historically stood for “post-colonial solidarity, national sovereignty and international peace” but had now become “exceptional in its continued indifference” to the suffering of Palestinians.
Highlighting the case of five-year-old Hind Rajab, whose death during the Gaza war caught the world’s attention, Gandhi said the story represented the “unspeakable cruelty” faced by Palestinian children.
She also criticized the delay in approving the screening of a film about Hind Rajab’s story in India, saying that it was banned “out of respect for Israel’s sensitivities” and was only approved after popular pressure.
“The silence is inexplicable”
Gandhi also questioned the strategic consequences of India’s approach to Israel, arguing that New Delhi was moving closer to Israel at a time when world opinion was shifting.
“The Modi government’s silence and inaction are not only morally reprehensible, but also inexplicable in terms of national interest,” she wrote.
She added that we “distanced ourselves from our historical allies in Palestine, Iran and the greater Middle East” and allowed Pakistan to occupy diplomatic space that could have been claimed by India due to its historical ties in the region.
“We have distanced ourselves from global public opinion. We have allowed Pakistan, of all countries, itself a country that has been and still is harboring fearsome terrorists, to swoop in to claim mediator space – a role that we will naturally demand given our historically cordial relations with all the players. Our sacrifices of our strategic interests and morals have resulted in nothing but friendship between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is now under attack around the world, including the USA,” he wrote.
Concluding her article, Gandhi said: “The spirit of the Indian nation demands that we speak on behalf of our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” and said that the government’s continued silence “simply cannot be rationally or morally explained.”
Sharing the article on X, several senior Congress leaders rallied behind Sonia Gandhi on Saturday. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Sonia Gandhi’s evocative article criticizing the Modi government’s “silence” and inaction on the Palestinian people is “a stark reminder of how our current foreign policy alienates our historic allies in Palestine, Iran and the greater Middle East.”
“Through her op-ed, Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi calls on India to restore its independent foreign policy, uphold humanitarian values, and speak with moral clarity on Gaza,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Priyanka Gandhi also cited a few lines from her mother’s article and shared on Channel
