Rahul Gandhi questions PM Modi's 'silence' on Khamenei – ‘Does he support assassination of a head of state?’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday sought answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he supported the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order.

The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha said the unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned.

"Silence now diminishes India's standing in the world," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said on X, referring to what the Congress and other opposition parties are calling the silence of the Union government over the targeted ‘assasination’ of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack by Israel and the United States over the weekend.

The Government has so far not said any official word condemning the killing of the Iranian leader. On Monday, speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in New Delhi, PM Modi expressed concern over the escalating conflicts globally and said India has always supported peace and stability and believes that disputes must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and strongly criticised the Iranian attacks. On Monday, PM Modi said he spoke with the Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the Saudi Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman and condemned the attacks on both these countries by Iran

But PM Modi or any of his cabinet colleagues have not issued a statement on Khamenei’s death until this report was filed.

"While security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the crisis. The unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. Violence begets violence - dialogue and restraint remain the only path to peace," the former Congress chief said.

"India must be morally clear. We should have the courage to speak plainly in defence of international law and human lives. Our foreign policy is rooted in sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes -- and it must remain consistent," Gandhi said.

He said PM Modi must speak up. Does he support the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order? Gandhi asked.

Before Rahul's remarks, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said the Union government's silence on Khamenei's killing was not a neutral stand but an abdication, and that it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of India's foreign policy.

The former Congress president also demanded that, when Parliament reconvenes for the second part of the Budget session later this month, the government's “disturbing silence” over the breakdown of the international order be debated openly and without evasion.

In her article published in The Indian Express, Gandhi said there is an urgent need for “us to rediscover” the moral strength and articulate it with clarity and commitment.

The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, with US President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to seize control of their destiny and rise against the Islamic leadership that has ruled their country since 1979.

(With agency inputs)