4 min readNew DelhiMar 4, 2026 07:33 AM IST First published on: Mar 4, 2026 at 07:33 AM ISTOn December 30, 2006, soon after former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was executed in Baghdad, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement, “We had already expressed the hope that the execution would not be carried out. We are disappointed that it has been. We hope that this unfortunate event will not affect the process of reconciliation, restoration of peace and normalcy in Iraq.”On Tuesday, when Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, in an article published in The Indian Express, criticised the Centre for its “silence” on the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the BJP questioned Gandhi on the track record of the Congress.AdvertisementBJP IT cell head Amit Malviya asked, “Why did no big Congress leader write such a piece when Saddam Hussain was hanged, nor delivered a public speech, nor played the politics of tears? Where was this sensitivity then? Do the yardsticks of human rights and democracy change with the person and political convenience?”Hussein was convicted by the Iraqi High Tribunal for crimes against humanity and given the death sentence. This happened years after Hussain was captured by the US forces on December 13, 2003. In his defence during his trial, Hussein had said he had been unlawfully overthrown, and was still the President of Iraq.Gandhi wrote in Tuesday’s article, “The Government of India has refrained from condemning the assassination or the violation of Iranian sovereignty. Initially, ignoring the massive US-Israeli onslaught, the Prime Minister confined himself to condemning Iran’s retaliatory strike on the UAE, without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Later, he uttered platitudes about his ‘deep concern’ and talked of ‘dialogue and diplomacy’ — which is precisely what was underway before the massive unprovoked attacks launched by Israel and the US. When the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defence of sovereignty or international law from our country and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of our foreign policy.”AdvertisementMalviya raised another question: “In 2011, when Muammar Gaddafi was killed fleeing a NATO-backed assault during the Libyan uprising, the Congress-led UPA neither issued a condolence nor mounted any public condemnation. India had strong ties — seven ministers, including Pranab Mukherjee, visited between 2004 and 2007. Yet the UPA remained silent. Why? Because Gaddafi was a brutal dictator who openly supported ‘independent Kashmir’, much like Ali Khamenei repeatedly interfered in India’s internal affairs.”you may likeOn October 20, 2011, after the killing of Gaddafi, the MEA had issued a statement, “We have seen reports that Col. Gaddafi has been killed in Sirte, Libya. The strife in Libya and the suffering of its people has been a matter of concern to us. We hope that peace and stability would soon return to Libya.” The statement added, “India’s relations with the people of Libya are deep and long standing. At this juncture, India reiterates its readiness to extend all possible assistance to the people of Libya in their political transition and rebuilding of the country.”When there was a bomb blast in the car of an Israeli diplomat in Delhi in 2012, then External Affairs Minister S M Krishna spoke to his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman, assuring him that the law of the land will take its course. “I just came to know about the unfortunate incident… in which a staff member’s family woman of the Israeli embassy establishment was injured. She has been rushed into the hospital. We are awaiting further information about the well being of the woman,” Krishna told reporters on the sidelines of a function, as per a report carried by The Indian Express.Asserting that the country very strongly condemns such incidents, Krishna said the incident will be fully investigated and culprits will be brought to justice. The Delhi police in March 2012 arrested journalist Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi for his alleged role, saying he carried out a “recce of the Iranian embassy along with three Iranian nationals, one of whom carried the attack”. Kazmi was granted bail in October 2012.