The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) expressed alarm at the sinking of an Iranian naval vessel, the ‘IRIS Dena’, in the Indian Ocean. The warship, which had taken part in joint military exercises with India, was hit by a torpedo from a US submarine. The party criticized the lack of response from New Delhi, suggesting a weakening of India’s national stature under the current government.
The ‘Saamana’ editorial by the Thackeray camp highlighted that the US attack on the Iranian warship occurred while it was in Visakhapatnam, where it had been invited to an international naval exercise. The incident resulted in the loss of 100 naval personnel and was condemned as a violation of international maritime boundaries and regulations.
The editorial criticized President Trump’s administration for what it termed as an act of “bullying” and emphasized urgent questions about the government’s ability to protect its borders and diplomatic guests. It accused Prime Minister Modi of appearing weak on the global stage by not protesting against the US actions and failing to take responsibility for the attack on a ship invited by India.
The Shiv Sena pointed out the government’s failure to support its partner Iran, especially considering India’s chairmanship of BRICS, a group that includes Iran. The editorial underscored the contrast between the government’s branding as a ‘Vishwaguru’ and its perceived inability to take a strong stand on such matters. It warned that India’s global image would suffer as long as the leadership remained passive in the face of such provocations.
