AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday hit out at BJP and RSS after a statement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding India’s purchase of Russian oil, questioning Washington’s authority to dictate New Delhi’s energy choices.
Speaking at a public meeting in Hyderabad, Owaisi asked how an American official could say that India would be allowed to buy Russian oil only for a limited period. “America kaun hota hai Bharat ko ijazat dene wala? Is India anyone’s slave?” he said.
Owaisi also targeted the BJP and the RSS, accusing them of remaining silent when Western leaders make remarks about India. “They speak loudly against Muslims, but when it comes to Trump or Western leaders, their voices tremble,” he said.
The AIMIM leader was referring to a recent statement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said the United States had issued a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea.
In a post on X, Bessent said the waiver was intended to keep oil flowing into global markets and would not significantly benefit the Russian government because it only covers oil already in transit.
He also described India as an essential partner of the United States and expressed hope that New Delhi would increase its purchases of American oil.
Owaisi, however, questioned the move, asking whether India’s sovereignty allowed a foreign minister to place conditions on its energy imports. He urged the BJP-led government to oppose such statements and assert that India would buy oil from whichever country it chooses.
