‘Does PM Modi support assassination of a head of state…’: Rahul Gandhi questions govt’s silence on West Asia conflict

In his first remarks since the situation in West Asia escalated on Sunday and the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi “supports the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order” and said that “silence now diminishes India’s standing in the world”. Gandhi, who has consistently raised questions over PM Modi’s foreign policy, said: “Escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict. Crores of people, including nearly a crore Indians, face uncertainty.” He said that while security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the crisis. “The unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran’s attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. Violence begets violence – dialogue and restraint remain the only path to peace,” he said in a post on X. > Escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict. Crores of people, including nearly a crore Indians, face uncertainty. While security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 3, 2026 Escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict. Crores of people, including nearly a crore Indians, face uncertainty. While security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 3, 2026 Gandhi said that “India must be morally clear” and “should have the courage to speak plainly in defence of international law and human lives”. “Our foreign policy is rooted in sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes – and it must remain consistent,” said the Congress MP. “PM Modi must speak up. Does he support the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order? Silence now diminishes India’s standing in the world,” wrote Gandhi. His remarks come on a day when Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi wrote a piece in The Indian Express titled: “Government’s silence on killing of Iran leader is not neutral, it is abdication.” The veteran Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member wrote: “India has long invoked the ideal of vasudhaiva kutumbakam — the world is one family. That civilisational ethos is not a slogan for ceremonial diplomacy; it implies a commitment to justice, restraint and dialogue, even when doing so is inconvenient. At moments when the rules-based order is under visible strain, silence is abdication. India has long aspired to be more than a regional power; it has sought to serve as the conscience-keeper of the world. That stature was built on a willingness to speak for sovereignty, peace, non-violence and justice even when doing so was inconvenient. At this moment, there is an urgent need for us to rediscover that moral strength and articulate it with clarity and commitment.” Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More