India’s Gandhi attacks Italian ‘betrayal’ over marines
Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born head of India’s ruling party, accused Rome of an unacceptable “betrayal” on Tuesday as she waded into a bitter dispute over two marines who have skipped bail.
Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born head of India’s ruling party, accused Rome of an unacceptable “betrayal” on Tuesday as she waded into a bitter dispute over two marines who have skipped bail.
Gandhi told a Congress party meeting that she supported any move to ensure the two marines return to India to face murder charges after Rome reneged on an earlier undertaking to India’s Supreme Court from the Italian ambassador.
“The defiance of the Italian government on the question of the two marines issue and its betrayal of a commitment given to our Supreme Court is outright unacceptable,” Gandhi said in New Delhi.
“No country can, should, or will be allowed to take India for granted,” said Gandhi, the widow of slain former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Italy has accused India of violating laws on diplomatic immunity by preventing the ambassador, Daniele Mancini, from leaving the country.
But Gandhi, India’s most powerful politician, who took Indian citizenship in 1983, said action had to be taken to ensure the pledge to return the marines is fulfilled.