'Just reading statement without...': Oppn demands debate on Iran war

Opposition parties are demanding a full Parliament discussion on the West Asia conflict, criticising the government's silence and calling for a contingency plan to protect India's energy security and citizens.

• Middle East Crisis: The New Fog of War

Opposition MPs, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, staged a protest in Parliament House complex on Monday, demanding a discussion on the West Asia conflict and slamming the government for its "silence" on critical issues related to it.

When the House met for the day, Kharge demanded a short-duration discussion in the Upper House on emerging challenges to India's energy security amid the West Asia conflict.

Kharge also mentioned the Rs 60 per cylinder hike in domestic cooking gas LPG prices and the Rs 115 increase in commercial gas rates, among the justifications he gave for admission of his notice under rule 176.

The cooking gas price increase has burdened the poor, he said. "Therefore, I urge you to please allow a short-duration discussion on this important subject."

Chairman CP Radhakrishnan said he will come back after giving due consideration to the notice.

Kharge said the fast-evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia is no longer confined to the region, and its impact is clearly visible on India's energy security as well.

The conflict is now impacting India's image and prestige, he said, adding that the country imports about 55 per cent of its crude oil needs from the region.

"The conflict is now directly impacting the country's economic stability," he said.

Importantly, about 1 crore Indians work in the region, and there are reports of some Indians being killed or missing in the ongoing conflict, he said.

"India received about USD 51 billion in remittances from Gulf countries."

Kharge made the submission just before External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made a suo motu statement on the evolving situation in West Asia.

The Congress and other opposition parties protested against him making the statement, saying a short-duration discussion should precede such a move.

In both houses, the Opposition staged vociferous protests as Jaishankar rose to make his suo-motu statement, demanding that a full-fledged discussion should precede his statement on the situation in West Asia.

While the Opposition staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha, they forced the Lok Sabha to be adjourned amid noisy scenes.

Shashi Tharoor Slams EAM Jaishankar

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticised the Centre over External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's parliamentary statement on the West Asia conflict, demanding a discussion on the issue.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Tharoor said that reading a statement without a discussion is "unfair" to the MPs.

"The issue before the party was that this is a matter of gravity and should be discussed in the House. The purpose of Parliament is to take up the issues that matter to India and to have a serious discussion. Just reading a statement, without any questions, our point of view is not fair to the members of the House. So, the party was agitating to have a discussion so we can ask questions about energy security, oil prices have gone high, and LPG prices were raised by the government," he said

"There are larger questions of international law. Whatever those questions may be, Parliament is the right forum to ventilate them. We are not saying we are the government. They are the government, and they will do what they want to, but at least use Parliament to hear the views of a cross-section of the nation," he added.

Congress MP KC Venugopal echoed the same view, saying that the conflict in West Asia is "not a partisan matter." He asked the Centre to take the Opposition also into confidence.

"Of course, we have moved an impeachment motion against the Speaker and are happy to participate in that discussion, but the important issue today is the issues related to the common people. Fuel prices are rising, and Gulf countries people are worried about the future. The GoI is silent on the situation. We are asking for a discussion, and based on the debate, we need to take action also. This is not a partisan matter. The government has to also take the Opposition into confidence," Venugopal said.

Oppn Demands Full-Fledged Discussion 

Earlier, opposition parties' floor leaders met in Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Kharge's chamber in Parliament House complex to deliberate on the strategy for the second half of the Budget session.

Besides Kharge and Gandhi, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav, DMK's Dayanidhi Maran, NCP-SP's Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena-UBT's Sanjay Raut, among others, attended the meeting.

In a post on X, Kharge said, "As the Parliament reconvenes for the second part of the Budget session, US-Israel war with Iran has reached our backyard. In this context, it is imperative to have a full-fledged discussion on the current geopolitical crisis."

"A one-sided statement by the EAM is not the solution. We need to collectively take the nation into confidence. The GOI must come out with a detailed contingency plan to ensure our energy security, assist our traders, diversify supply chains for our exports and stop penalising our people with price hikes. The Opposition demands sensitivity towards our people," Kharge said after the meeting.

Parliament Protest Details

Later, opposition MPs staged a protest near the Makar Dwar of Parliament, demanding a discussion on the West Asia conflict and slamming the government for its "silence" on critical issues related to it.

With a huge banner which read -- "Gulf burning, oil shock. Indians stranded. India needs leadership -- not silence", the MPs raised slogans against the government and Prime Minster Narendra Modi.

Kharge, Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, TMC's Sagarika Ghose, among others, participated in the protest.