"Strength lies in independent voice, not sycophancy": Ashok Gehlot slams Centre over "silence" on US destroying Iranian vessel

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], March 5 (ANI): Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday slammed the Centre for its "strategic silence" on the US submarine sinking the Iranian warship 'IRIS Dena' near Sri Lanka.
Alleging "sycophancy" towards the US, Gehlot said that India's silence goes against its cultural ethos and military pride.
Recalling the 2013 Devyani Khobragade visa case, the Congress leader wrote on X, "India's strength lies in its independent voice, not in anyone's sycophancy. From Nehru ji's Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to Indira ji's fearless diplomacy, India has never bowed to the pressure of any superpower. We should all also recall the 2013 Devyani Khobragade case, when Dr. Manmohan Singh ji's government responded with 'tit for tat' by stripping American diplomats of their privileges. India has never compromised its sovereignty and policies under pressure from any other country."
Gehlot highlighted that IRIS Dena was part of the International Fleet Review 2026 (IFR 2026) hosted by India in Visakhapatnam.
He wrote, "Yet, in our own maritime neighbourhood, the predicament of #MILAN2026's guest #IRISDena and our 'strategic silence' raise questions about India's credibility. Staying silent on this American high-handedness goes against our cultural ethos of 'guest is god' and our military pride."
"Is the 'silence' of India, known as the true guardian (Net Security Provider) of the Indian Ocean, a sign of diplomatic pressure? An emerging superpower should not remain a mute spectator to such violent incidents in its own region. If we are the true guardians of the Indian Ocean, we must prioritise our autonomy and the safety of our guests above all," the X post read.
Earlier today, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi again cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of "silence" over the US' action.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said that the West Asia conflict has reached India's backyard and accused PM Modi of "surrendering India's strategic autonomy" when the country needs a "steady hand at the wheel".
"The world has entered a volatile phase. Stormy seas lie ahead. India's oil supplies are under threat, with more than 40 per cent of our imports transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The situation is even worse for LPG and LNG. The conflict has reached our backyard, with an Iranian warship sunk in the Indian Ocean. Yet the Prime Minister has said nothing. At a moment like this, we need a steady hand at the wheel. Instead, India has a compromised PM who has surrendered our strategic autonomy," Rahul Gandhi said. (ANI)