New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) The Congress said on Saturday that India should have demanded — and received — an unconditional apology for the killing of three young Indian sailors in an American military strike in the Gulf.

Pawan Khera, All India Congress Committee Media and Publicity Department Chairman, faulted the Indian government for not taking a firm stand on the issue.

In a message on social media platform X, Khera said, “Instead, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly chose to issue a warning, declaring that failure to comply with the orders of the US military ‘will not be tolerated’. That is the language of command, not contrition.”

“There was no acknowledgement of the lives lost, no acceptance of responsibility, and no apology,” he added.

“What makes the episode even more embarrassing was New Delhi’s response. Rather than calling the strike what it was, the External Affairs Minister merely observed that lethal actions against commercial shipping are ‘not justified’,” Khera said.

“‘Not justified’? That is the phrase you use for an overpriced airport sandwich, not for a military strike that kills civilians. The appropriate words for America’s actions are: illegal, reckless, and unacceptable. Instead, we got the kind of carefully sterilised euphemism that manages to offend no one — except the families of the dead,” he added.

On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned the US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks to lodge India’s strong protest against the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers in the Gulf of Oman.

New Delhi stressed that Washington’s actions are “unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce” in a sensitive region.

“A strong protest was lodged with him regarding the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman, which have already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives,” the MEA said in a statement.

“The Ministry once again conveyed its deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping. Such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time,” it added.

The MEA said that the US Charge d’Affaires was requested to convey India’s strong concerns to US authorities and ensure that US forces operating in the region take all necessary measures to stop the loss of civilian life.

This marked the second time that the US official was summoned by the MEA in recent days over the attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman.

Earlier on Wednesday, India had summoned the US Charge d’Affaires Meeks to lodge a “strong protest” over recent attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman, including the commercial ship Settebello, where three Indian seafarers were killed.

–IANS

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