Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 7 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde slammed Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the United States allowed a waiver for India to purchase Russian oil amid the escalating West Asia conflict.

He rebutted the Congress leader's statement, which described Indian foreign policy as 'exploitation of a compromised individual' and that New Delhi's foreign policy should be rooted in the nation's history and ethos.

Shinde asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is steering the country toward becoming a global 'economic superpower'.

'PM Narendra Modi is taking our country forward... The country is moving towards becoming an economic superpower. India's respect is growing globally,' said the Dy CM a day earlier.

The Deputy CM questioned Gandhi's patriotism, stating, 'What kind of patriotism is this in which you defame India while living here and even abroad? This is treason.'

He charged Gandhi with intentionally targeting the Prime Minister for 'breaking news', implying that it is a way to stay politically relevant. 'He knows that if he makes allegations against PM Modi, it becomes breaking news...It is a publicity stunt for him,' Shinde said.

This comes after Gandhi took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Government over the question of sovereignty in a X post after US Treasury Secretary's X post, where he announced that the department has issued a 30-day waiver allowing India to purchase Russian oil to enable oil flow into the global market.

'India's foreign policy emerges from the collective will of our people. It should be rooted in our history, our geography, and our spiritual ethos based on Satya and Ahimsa. What we are witnessing today is not policy. It is the result of the exploitation of a compromised individual,' Gandhi wrote on X.

Washington said that it expects New Delhi to 'ramp up' purchases of US oil after this short-term waiver.

'President Trump's energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil. This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government as it only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea. India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran's attempt to take global energy hostage,' US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on X. (ANI)