Bengaluru, March 3 (IANS) Karnataka BJP on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his criticism of India's stand amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict.
It can be recalled that amid the West Asia conflict, LoP Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must speak up and answer as to whether he supports the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order.
LoP Gandhi said the unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran's attacks on other nations in West Asia, must be condemned. "Silence now diminishes India’s standing in the world," he stated.
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, said in a statement on Tuesday, "Before sermonising on moral clarity and world order,” Rahul Gandhi must clarify whether he supports the slogan “Modi Teri Khabar Khudegi (your grave will be dug)" allegedly raised by Congress workers.
Ashoka questioned whether the Congress leader endorses language targeting the democratically-elected Prime Minister.
He accused him of maintaining silence over what he termed as 'political intimidation'.
“Silence means complicity,” Ashoka claimed, asserting that it is easy to preach restraint to world leaders but difficult to enforce discipline within one’s own party.
He asked whether LoP Gandhi would condemn what he described as a culture of political intimidation if he truly believes that “violence begets violence.”
Ashoka further stated that India’s foreign policy is guided by national interest, strategic depth and calibrated diplomacy, and not by social media commentary or statements made for headlines.
He said governments must act responsibly in sensitive situations and avoid public posturing that could compromise national interests or the safety of Indians abroad.
Referring to the presence of a large Indian diaspora in West Asia, he said their safety requires maturity and responsibility rather than political rhetoric.
“If Rahul Gandhi wants India to speak plainly, he should first speak plainly to his own cadre,” Ashoka said, again asking whether the Congress leader rejects threatening slogans and supports civil political discourse.
He added that India’s global standing has risen due to steady leadership and said that during times of international tension, responsible leaders must strengthen the country’s voice rather than weaken it for domestic political considerations.
--IANS
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