A political tussle intensified on Saturday after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the safety of Indian seafarers during his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump at G7. His remarks prompting the BJP to target Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for criticising Modi govt’s foreign policy.
Commenting on the Modi-Trump bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, Tharoor said the Prime Minister had effectively communicated India’s concerns about the safety of civilian sailors amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Speaking about the bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, the congress leader said Prime Minister Modi clearly conveyed India’s concerns regarding civilian seafarers affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“PM Modi made his point clear both in the public and private meetings with the President. It is important to convey the message that in wartime, civilian sailors on commercial ships should not be targets of combat. They are not soldiers,” Tharoor said, underlining his support for the Prime Minister’s articulation of India’s stand.
The Congress MP also highlighted India’s concern for sailors working on Indian and foreign-flagged vessels in the region. According to him, even in situations involving suspected blockade violations, civilian lives should not be endangered. His remarks came against the backdrop of Congress criticism of PM Modi’s meeting with Trump.
The Congress Party had accused the Prime Minister of not publicly raising the deaths of three Indian seafarers who were reportedly killed in a US strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman. The Congress leaders had also questioned whether New Delhi sought an apology or expression of regret from Washington over the incident.
The BJP quickly seized on Tharoor’s comments, arguing that they undermined the Congress party’s line of attack against the Prime Minister. Over the years, BJP leaders have often pointed to Tharoor’s occasional praise of the government’s foreign policy positions to suggest internal differences within the Congress, even as Tharoor remains a senior figure in the party.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari claimed the Congress MP’s remarks had exposed Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the government’s handling of the issue, further intensifying the political sparring between the two national parties.
Modi and Trump held their first bilateral meeting in 16 months during the G7 Summit in France, where maritime security and the safety of Indian seafarers figured prominently in the discussions. The Prime Minister stressed that lakhs of Indians work as seafarers and underscored the need to ensure secure maritime routes and safe working conditions for them.
The issue gained significance following the deaths of three Indian sailors in the Gulf region, prompting calls from political leaders across the spectrum for stronger safeguards for Indian seafarers operating in conflict-prone waters.