Claim
In 1989, Pakistan's then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan attended Ruhollah Khomeini's funeral, but India's Prime Minister, President or Vice President did not attend even then, when Rajiv Gandhi's government was in power.
“साल 1989 में जब ईरान के पहले सुप्रीम लीड आयत अल्लाह रूहल्या खमनाई का नमाज़ जनाजा निकाला गया तब उसमें भी पाकिस्तान के तत्कालीन राष्ट्रपति गुलाम इसहाक खान शामिल हुए थे। लेकिन भारत की तरफ से तब भी प्रधानमंत्री, राष्ट्रपति या उपराष्ट्रपति शामिल नहीं हुए थे। जबकि उस वक्त देश में राजीव गांधी की सरकार थी।”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
The literal facts are correct: Pakistan's President Ghulam Ishaq Khan attended Khomeini's June 1989 funeral (reported as the only head of state present), and no Indian PM, President or Vice President attended while Rajiv Gandhi was PM. However, the framing is misleading by omission: India did not ignore the funeral — it declared three days of national mourning and sent a high-level Cabinet delegation led by External Affairs Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao (plus MPs), with Rajiv Gandhi reportedly unable to attend personally due to other commitments. Contrasting Pakistan's 'head of state' attendance with India's 'no PM/President/VP' selectively presents a Cabinet-level representation as an absence, creating a false impression of an Indian snub.
Evidence
- https://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=/1989/06/14/pakistan-president-only-head-of-state-at-funeral-of-ayatollah-khomeini&post_id=38065 Contemporary 1989 report headline confirms Pakistan's President Ghulam Ishaq Khan was the only head of state present at Khomeini's funeral — supporting the claim's Pakistan portion. ✗ unreachable · HTTP 403
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_state_funeral_of_Ruhollah_Khomeini Confirms Khomeini died 3 June 1989 and that India (along with Pakistan, Syria, etc.) declared national mourning; India declared three days of mourning. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://x.com/SouthernM46171/status/2071611867945173092 Notes the comparison is 'clever but misleading': Rajiv Gandhi did not personally attend, but India sent External Affairs Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, a full Cabinet minister. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/03/726802/Imam-Khomeini%E2%80%99s-support-for-world-s-oppressed-can%E2%80%99t-be-forgotten--Indian-politician Records that in 1989 Rajiv Gandhi sent an Indian delegation to Khomeini's funeral including P.V. Narasimha Rao, Jaffer Sharief, Darbara Singh and others. ✓ reachable · archived