NEW DELHI, May 16 — The political temperature rose as the Congress demanded the Narendra Modi government come clean on its diplomatic stance toward Turkey and Azerbaijan, both of which have come under fire for siding with Pakistan during its recent tensions with India.
Public outrage over Ankara and Baku’s pro-Pakistan position has sparked calls for a boycott of trade and tourism with the two nations. But what began as external diplomatic concern quickly turned into a domestic political exchange, with Congress and the BJP trading sharp accusations.
Reacting to criticism from BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya—who shared a video showing Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh sidestepping a question on boycott calls—Khera responded that foreign policy decisions are the prerogative of the government, not the opposition.
“This question is being asked by a BJP office-bearer. The Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister should immediately clarify if the government has indeed cut all diplomatic and trade relations with Turkey, and whether their embassy in India has been shut,” Khera wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
In the video posted by Malviya, the two Congress leaders are seen avoiding a direct answer when asked whether India should boycott Turkey. Malviya accused Congress of failing to reflect national sentiment.
“Though the country is enraged by the support Turkey and Azerbaijan have extended to Pakistan, the Congress cannot even bring itself to align with the broader sentiment of the Indian people,” Malviya posted.
Congress, in turn, raised the pitch by asking the BJP to stop shifting responsibility. “If any such decision is to be taken, it is not the opposition’s role. It is up to the government, which controls foreign policy, to decide the future of our ties with any country,” said Khera.
As calls for boycotts trend across social media and public discourse, the political slugfest signals growing unease over how India should recalibrate its foreign engagements in response to shifting geopolitical alignments.
