Summary of this article
The Centre convened an all-party meeting in Parliament to brief leaders on the West Asia conflict following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting, attended by EAM S. Jaishankar and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
Opposition leaders called the meeting “unsatisfactory” and demanded a formal debate in both Houses, while the BJP criticised some Opposition leaders for skipping it.
The government on Wednesday convened an all-party meeting at Parliament over the ongoing West Asia conflict triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting, which was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, officials said.
According to the office of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, the meeting was held around 5 pm inside the Parliament building to brief political parties on the evolving situation and its possible impact.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge demanded that the issue be debated in Parliament instead of only being discussed in a briefing. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said he could not attend the meeting due to a scheduled programme in Kerala.
The meeting came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed both Houses of Parliament, warning that the effects of the West Asia conflict could last for a long time and urging the country to remain prepared.
He had also announced the formation of seven empowered groups to formulate strategies on fuel supplies, fertilisers and supply chains to mitigate the impact of the conflict.
After the meeting, Congress leader Tariq Anwar described the discussion as “unsatisfactory”, reiterating the Opposition’s demand for a formal debate in both Houses.
BJP MPs Brij Lal and Sanjay Jaiswal criticised opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and some Trinamool Congress MPs, for not attending the meeting.
