The Centre on Thursday told an all-party meeting that India cannot act like a “dalaal” (broker) in reference to the reported mediation of Pakistan in the ongoing West Asia conflict. The meeting convened at the Parliament complex to discuss the West Asia crisis was attended by eight Union ministers and several Opposition members, barring the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which boycotted the meeting.
Responding to the Opposition charges that Pakistan has been performing the mediator’s role while India is still a mute spectator, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that Pakistan has been “used” by the US since 1981, and there is nothing new in its mediation efforts in the matter, said sources. “We are not a dalaal nation,” Jaishankar told the meeting.
Responding to the Opposition’s queries on the phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Trump, Jaishankar said the PM has conveyed that the war in West Asia must end soon, as it is hurting everyone.
Responding to CPI (M) MP John Brittas’ query on whether the government has ‘converted silence as statecraft’ on the conflict, the minister said New Delhi was not silent on the situation, asserting that “we are commenting and responding”. According to sources, Brittas said that Qatar, from where India imports 40 per cent of crude, has itself admitted that it will take years for them to stabilise production.
On NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule’s question on the tangible benefits of India‘s ties with the US and Israel, Jaishankar asserted that the US and Israel have been the largest business and defence partners of the country. “Iran is also happy with us,” the minister said, according to sources.
When the Iranian embassy was opened, the Foreign Secretary visited immediately and signed the condolence book, the government told the parties in response to the Opposition’s charge that India displayed moral weakness in not condoling the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader sooner.
The government is also said to have informed the parties that its prime concern is ensuring the security of the Indian diaspora living in the Gulf region and fulfilling domestic energy needs. On that count, the government said it has been successful so far.
The Opposition, however, said the answers provided at the meeting by the government were “unsatisfactory” and demanded that a debate be held on the West Asia situation in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
Lashing out at the government, Congress’s Tariq Anwar told The New Indian Express that there should be a debate on the situation in the Lok Sabha under rule 193 and in the Rajya Sabha under rule 176. “Opposition parties are not satisfied with the response,” he said.
All Union ministers part of the Cabinet Committee on Security — Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman — represented the government. Health Minister JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also attended. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made a presentation before the gathering.
Tariq Anwar and Mukul Wasnik of the Congress, Dharmendra Yadav of the Samajwadi Party and Sasmit Patra of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) were among the Opposition leaders who attended the meeting.