Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over India’s position on the escalating West Asia conflict and recent US decisions related to Russian oil supplies. Speaking at a public event in Karnataka’s Chittapur after launching development projects, Kharge described US President Donald Trump as a “dictator” and alleged that Modi was acting under American influence rather than pursuing an independent foreign policy.
Kharge further claimed that the prime minister was being “controlled” by Trump through references to the Jeffrey Epstein case files. He alleged that fear linked to those files had forced Modi into silence and compliance. The Union government rejected any such claims, dismissing references to the prime minister in the Epstein matter as baseless and defamatory.
The remarks come amid political controversy over statements by US officials that Washington had granted India a temporary waiver allowing refiners to purchase Russian crude already in transit. Kharge argued that the development suggested India was operating under US pressure. The Centre responded that India does not require permission from any country to secure energy supplies and said the waiver only eased temporary logistical friction.
Kharge also criticised the United States over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warning that targeting heads of state could destabilise global peace. He questioned the government’s response to the reported sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena and raised concerns about India’s diplomatic posture during the crisis.
On trade policy, Kharge accused the government of entering arrangements that could harm Indian farmers. He said a large share of India’s population depends on agriculture and argued that policy decisions influenced by external pressure would damage domestic interests. He added that earlier governments sourced oil from multiple countries based on pricing and strategic needs.
Other opposition leaders echoed similar concerns. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticised the global role of the US and Israel and questioned India’s stance. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged the prime minister to publicly call for de-escalation and address concerns about national sovereignty.
Kharge concluded that India’s global standing had weakened under the current government, contrasting it with the Non-Aligned Movement era under Jawaharlal Nehru, which he said emphasised strategic independence and world peace.
