Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 29: In a strongly worded critique, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi accused the Modi government of a “cowardly betrayal” of India’s constitutional values over its continued silence on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. Writing in a leading national daily, she described the Centre’s position as a “shameful silence” that fails India’s historical legacy of standing up for justice and global peace.
Calling Israel’s military campaign in Gaza a "genocide", Sonia Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s refusal to condemn the relentless assault on Palestinian civilians was a “moral abdication” unbecoming of a nation that once stood at the forefront of anti-colonial and human rights movements.
While unequivocally condemning the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, Gandhi said nothing could justify Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza, which has claimed over 55,000 civilian lives, including 17,000 children. “This is not just a humanitarian catastrophe—it is a man-made tragedy exacerbated by a deliberate military blockade,” she asserted.
She accused the Israeli Defense Forces of weaponizing humanitarian aid and using starvation as a war tactic, while also targeting civilians gathering food. “The United Nations and even Israeli officials have admitted the severity of this truth,” she wrote.
Referring to the mounting international condemnation and actions, including South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and France’s recognition of Palestine, Gandhi contrasted India’s silence with its once-principled foreign policy stance. “We were the first non-Arab country to recognise the PLO in 1974 under Indira Gandhi, and among the first to recognise Palestine in 1988,” she reminded.
“The Global South is looking to India for moral leadership,” she said, adding that PM Modi’s silence was “not just disappointing but dishonourable.” Gandhi urged the Prime Minister to break his silence and “speak boldly in defence of humanity, international law, and the legacy India once proudly upheld.”