NEW DELHI: Amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to make a statement in the Lok Sabha on Monday regarding the evolving situation in the region.
According to the revised list of business for the Lok Sabha circulated on Sunday evening, “Dr S Jaishankar to make a statement regarding the situation in West Asia.” The announcement comes even as opposition parties have been demanding a full-fledged discussion in Parliament on the geopolitical developments and their implications for India.
The second leg of the Budget Session of Parliament resumes on Monday, with the West Asia crisis expected to dominate the proceedings.
Until Saturday, the only official item listed for Monday’s agenda had been the opposition-backed resolution seeking the removal of Om Birla from the post of Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Meanwhile, the government has said it is closely monitoring the situation in West Asia, particularly with regard to the safety of Indian nationals stranded in the conflict-affected region. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that more than 52,000 Indian citizens have returned to the country following the partial reopening of airspace across parts of the region.
Responding to it, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the External Affairs Minister will make a statement in both Houses of Parliament on the situation in West Asia, but the problem with such ministerial statements is that they usually add little beyond what is already known and, more importantly, members of Parliament are not given the opportunity to seek clarifications or ask questions.
He said the Opposition wants a full-fledged debate, recalling that on April 8, 2003, the Lok Sabha held a spirited discussion on the US invasion of Iraq and even passed a resolution condemning it when Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who understood his Rajdharma, was the Prime Minister.Amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to make a statement in the Lok Sabha on Monday regarding the evolving situation in the region.