India, July 29 -- Congress parliamentary party leader Sonia Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of adopting a "shameful silence" on Israel's military action in the Palestinian territory of Gaza which she described as "barbaric" and a "genocide".

The PM's lack of clear stance for Gaza is "deeply disappointing", her article published in the Hindi newspaper Dainik Jagran said. She termed it "a cowardly betrayal of our constitutional values". Sonia, The Rajya Sabha member urged Modi to speak out "clearly, boldly and forthrightly" on behalf of the legacy that India has long represented.

She noted that nothing could justify Palestinian militant group Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, or its continued holding of Israeli hos...