Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Friday raised an alarm over the sinking of an Iranian naval vessel — that had participated in India’s joint military exercises — in the Indian Ocean after being struck by a torpedo from a US submarine. It said that amid the shifting global geopolitical landscape, the current silence from New Delhi suggested a “weakening” of national stature under the BJP-led government at the Centre.

The Thackeray camp in an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, said the shocking reality is that the Iranian warship, ‘IRIS Dena’, which was attacked and sunk by the US, was in Visakhapatnam, where it had participated in an international naval exercise at India’s special invitation.

The vessel had been honoured in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu. By attacking a warship that was a “guest” in India, the US claimed the lives of 100 naval personnel. “The scorch of the war in the Gulf has reached India. These are no ordinary burns; they are setting fire to India’s prestige and reputation. The United States has violated international maritime boundaries and regulations,” it added.

According to the editorial, this act constitutes not only an international maritime violation but an act of “bullying” by President Trump’s administration. “The attack has raised urgent questions regarding the government’s ability to protect its own borders and diplomatic guests.”

The editorial termed President Trump’s actions as “mobocracy” and argued that by tolerating this, Prime Minister Modi is making India appear weak on the global stage.

“However, despite such a significant event, PM Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have remained ‘frozen’and inactive. The government has failed to issue even a simple protest against the US. Since the ship was in India at the government’s invitation, the Prime Minister and Defence Minister must take responsibility for the attack,” it said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena stated that despite India holding the BRICS chairmanship — a group of which Iran is also a member — the government has failed to release a statement supporting its partner.

“The contrast between the government’s ‘Vishwaguru’ branding and its perceived inability to mediate or take a firm stand is growing, it said.

The editorial claimed that as long as the current leadership remains passive in the face of such provocations, India’s global image will continue to suffer, rendering the nation “weak and helpless” on the world stage.

–IANS

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