New Delhi – Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has strongly condemned the Narendra Modi government’s silence on the ongoing Israeli offensives in Gaza and the recent strikes on Iran, calling it “not just a loss of voice, but a surrender of values.”
In a sharply worded article titled “It is still not too late for India’s voice to be heard” published in The Hindu, Gandhi accused the BJP-led central government of turning away from India’s historic and principled support for a peaceful two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
“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,” she wrote. “This is not just a loss of voice but also a surrender of values.”
Gandhi urged the Indian government to reclaim its diplomatic integrity: “It is still not too late. India must speak clearly, act responsibly, and use every diplomatic channel available to defuse tensions and promote peace in West Asia.”
She also criticized the current U.S. administration under Donald Trump for following a “destructive path” in the region, referencing his June 17 statement dismissing U.S. intelligence findings about Iran’s nuclear program.
Highlighting the Indian National Congress’s stance, Gandhi denounced Israel’s recent bombing of Iranian territory on June 13, 2025, as a blatant violation of international norms and Iranian sovereignty. She also condemned the ongoing military operations in Gaza as “brutal” and “disproportionate,” pointing out the devastating toll: over 55,000 Palestinian lives lost, entire neighborhoods erased, and Gaza facing famine.
She accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of consistently undermining peace, promoting extremism, and deepening instability in the region. “Given his record, escalation was always going to be his choice,” she said.
Gandhi stressed that India must not turn a blind eye to Israel’s response, which she said has crossed all humanitarian and moral lines.
She also emphasized India’s unique global positioning, stating, “Our strong ties with both Israel and Palestine give us moral responsibility and diplomatic leverage to act as a bridge for peace.”
Sonia Gandhi reminded readers of India’s longstanding civilizational ties with Iran, praising its past support on key issues like Kashmir — particularly Iran’s assistance in blocking a critical UN resolution in 1994.
She said, “Iran has been more cooperative with India than the Imperial State of Iran, which supported Pakistan during the 1965 and 1971 wars.”
Concluding her piece, Gandhi warned that India’s failure to speak up risks aligning it with global silence in the face of injustice, even as lakhs of Indians work and live across West Asia, making regional peace a matter of national interest.
