New Delhi:Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after senior BJP leader Ram Madhav sparked controversy with his remarks in Washington on India's oil imports.

"Rashtriya Surrender Sangh. Farzi nationalism in Nagpur. Pure servility in USA. Ram Madhav has only revealed Sangh’s true nature," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X, seizing on Madhav's comments to accuse the BJP and the RSS of compromising India's sovereignty before the United States.

The row erupted after Madhav, speaking at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC, suggested that India had agreed to halt oil purchases from both Iran and Russia under American pressure.

"India agreed to stop buying oil from Iran. We agreed to stop buying oil from Russia despite so much criticism from our opposition. India agreed to a 50% tariff without saying too much. So where exactly is India not doing enough to work with America?" Madhav had said during a panel discussion.

His remarks quickly handed the Opposition fresh ammunition. Congress alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had surrendered India's strategic autonomy to Washington.

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also shared the clip, saying it was a "clear admission" that PM Modi was "dancing to Washington's tunes."

As the controversy escalated, Madhav moved swiftly to clarify his position and issued a public apology.

"What I said was wrong. India didn’t agree to stopping import of oil from Russia anytime. Also it vigorously protested 50 percent tariff imposition. I was trying to make a limited counterpoint to d other panelist. But factually incorrect. My apologies," he wrote on X.

India, in fact, has continued purchasing Russian crude despite repeated criticism and tariff threats from US President Donald Trump. New Delhi has consistently maintained that energy security and domestic economic interests remain paramount.

Far from reducing imports, Indian refiners bought around 60 million barrels of Russian oil for April alone, even as the Iran war disrupted global energy markets and heightened concerns over supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now