Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said on Friday that India’s strategic autonomy and national sovereignty were under “terrible threat” as the United States granted a 30-day waiver to New Delhi to buy Russian oil amid restricted shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday (local time) announced 30 days of measures against Iran amid a conflict in West Asia that has hit oil-suppliing Gulf countries hard.
Kharge’s post on X
In X’s post, Mallikarjun Kharge strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he was being “blackmailed” by the US. Recalling PM Modi’s ‘Main desh nahi jhukne doonga’ (he wouldn’t let the nation bow down) he called it just a slogan to win elections.
He said words like “allow” and “permit” are used for sanctioned states, not equal partners in the global order.
Kharge wrote on X: “India’s strategic autonomy and national sovereignty are in dire jeopardy as PM Modi is being blackmailed over the Epstein files and Adani case. The US statement that it will ‘allow’ us and give us ‘permission’ to buy Russian oil, as a ’30 day exemption’, which the Govt constantly proves is diplomatic language. It is being used for sanctioned states and not for India, which has been a responsible and equal a partner in the global order.”
He further accused PM Modi of caving in to Washington for buying oil from Russia and Iran.
When India and the US announced the framework for a trade deal, Washington said Delhi had agreed not to buy oil from Russia.
He wrote: “Modi ji’s friend Mr. Trump announces ceasefire first during Sindoor operation, not us. He announces that he has stopped war, at least 100 times! PM is silent. They tell India not to buy Iranian oil. GOI succumbs. Mr. Trump tells us not to buy Russian oil and Indian govt restricts imports. US not buying oil from India, Russia announces Indo trade deal. Modi ji now approves India a “temporary 30-day exemption” and “allows” Indian refiners to buy Russian crude.
Kharge made a Congress “capitulation” slur against Prime Minister Modi and said former prime ministers, irrespective of party lines, did not succumb to pressure from foreign state actors.
“From trade to oil, from data to India’s long-standing relations with friendly countries, Modi has given it all up. India has a proud reputation of planning its own destiny. It has remained unblemished till now. From Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, even to Atal Bihari Vajpayee – no prime minister except the state has made Modi jis ‘virtual country in India’ under pressure from any country.” Desh Nahi Jhukne Doonga’ was just a slogan-cry to win an election 140 Cr Indians stand betrayed,” the X post read.
Earlier today, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi described India’s foreign policy as “exploiting a compromised individual”.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government over the issue of sovereignty, Rahul Gandhi said New Delhi’s foreign policy should be rooted in the nation’s history and ethos.
“India’s foreign policy is based on the collective will of our people. It should be rooted in our history, our geography and our spiritual ethos based on Satya and Ahimsa. What we are witnessing today is not politics. It is the result of the exploitation of a compromised individual,” Gandhi wrote on X.
The congressional remarks followed the US Treasury Secretary’s X post in which he announced that the department had issued a 30-day waiver allowing India to buy Russian oil to allow oil to flow to the global market.
Washington said it expected Delhi to “speed up” its purchases of US oil after the short-term exemption.
India’s ceramics and fertilizer industries are expected to be affected by energy supply constraints due to dependence on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
India gets nearly 40 percent of its oil imports from the region, with a significant portion transported through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, the conflict in West Asia entered its seventh day following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei along with other key figures in the Gulf nation on February 28. Tehran retaliated with counterstrikes targeting US military bases and other Israeli assets throughout the region.
