Elections are underway and Prime Minister Modi is already facing opposition heat over “buckling under US pressure” to Iran oil sanctions. Modi, known for his international diplomacy has broken protocol, made unexpected stopovers, and hugged politicans to earn their support. The opposition has termed Modi-style diplomacy as mere “Hugplomacy”.
With national election fever running higher than the peak Indian summer heat, the opposition parties in India have gone full throttle in slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “meek surrender” to US President Donald Trump dictating sanctions against the purchase of Iranian oil.
Congress party spokesperson Randip Singh Surjewala accused Modi of surrendering to the US calling it as a breach of India’s sovereignty.
“US has demanded of India to stop importing oil from Iran. Is this not an attack on India’s sovereignty?” Surjewala raised his rhetoric on Twitter.
He accused Modi of “price-fixing” fuel prices until the elections were over to prevent US sanctions from damaging his re-election chances.”What Modi has not told the Indian voters is that he has asked all oil companies in India to not raise fuel prices till May 23. On the evening of May 23 these companies are readying themselves for raising the fuel prices by Rs 5-10 ($0.06 — $0.12 approx) per litre”, he said.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh decried the Indian surrender to US sanctions and called Modi’s style of diplomacy “Hugplomacy” while addressing a press conference earlier this week.
“India won’t be able to import crude oil from Iran from 01.05.2019 due to American sanctions. Modi has given a new face to diplomacy by changing it into ‘Hugplomacy’. He keeps talking about his special relations with the US but has clearly failed on this front”, Ramesh said.
LIVE: Press briefing by former union minister @Jairam_Ramesh. https://t.co/Brevv3PoBH
— Congress Live (@INCIndiaLive) April 23, 2019
Left-wing parties have also denounced Modi for his buckling to US pressure. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury called US sanctions unilateral and illegal. He demanded the Modi-led government to reject these sanctions and continue buying oil from Iran.
Since the United States has unilaterally imposed these illegal sanctions, the BJP led government must reject these sanctions and continue to buy oil from Iran which is in the country’s interests. #SanctionsOnIranOil pic.twitter.com/RBZunjmPvM
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) April 23, 2019
Indian PM Modi filed poll nomination papers on Friday to stand in the election from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, seeking a second term in Office.
