NEW DELHI: The Opposition in both Houses of Parliament on Monday questioned the government over its secret NSA-level talks with Pakistan, calling it a departure from the country’s foreign policy. They demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj explain the issue. The government said Swaraj would make a statement in the House on the meeting between NSA Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Naseer Khan Janjua in Bangkok on Sunday.
The meeting came ahead of Swaraj’s visit to Pakistan starting Tuesday. In the Lok Sabha, TMC MP Saugata Roy gave an adjournment motion to discuss the issue. However, as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan refused to adjourn the question, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said Swaraj would make a statement in the House as she was busy with a visiting foreign dignitary.
In the Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma of the Congress accused the government of making a “fundamental departure” in New Delhi’s position on Indo-Pak ties and of ‘disrespecting’ Parliament.