Rahul Gandhi says PM Modi listening to US ‘like an obedient servant’ after Indian sailors killed

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “silent” and listening to orders from the United States “like an obedient servant” after American strikes killed three Indian seafarers earlier this week off the coast of Oman.

In a social media post, Gandhi added that the US had neither expressed remorse nor issued an apology. Instead, “America has continued issuing orders”, said the Congress leader.

His remarks came a day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and registered India’s protest against the American strikes on commercial vessels in the Gulf.

“Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” Jaishankar had said on social media.

During their conversation, Rubio “stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the strait”, the US Department of State’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated on Saturday.

Rubio “underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated”, Pigott added.

The US has imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz since April 13, preventing transit to and from Iranian ports as part of efforts to restrict Iran’s oil trade amid the conflict...

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