Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump has sparked a political row, with the Congress criticising the engagement while senior party leader Shashi Tharoor struck a contrasting note.
Modi met Trump on the sidelines of the G7-related engagements in France. Congress questioned why the Prime Minister did not press Trump to apologise over an incident in the Gulf of Oman in which Indian sailors were killed by US forces.
Responding to the criticism, Tharoor said India’s concerns had been conveyed to Trump. He argued that the key message in wartime situations is that civilian sailors on commercial vessels should not become targets, as they are not combatants.
Tharoor added that Indian sailors serve on Indian-flagged ships as well as other vessels, and said that even if a blockade is violated, alternatives should be found to stop ships without killing sailors. The remarks, seen as praise for Modi’s handling of the issue, have reportedly upset sections of the Congress.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Pradeep Bhandari issued a statement claiming Tharoor had “exposed” Rahul Gandhi, and asserted that Modi prioritises national interest while accusing Congress leaders of speaking against it.
