India Alliance MPs on Monday protested at the Makar Gate of Parliament, raising slogans against the Center over the West Asia conflict.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge were also among the MPs who protested outside Parliament.
The leaders held a banner that read, “The Gulf is burning, there is an oil crisis. Indians are stranded. India needs leadership – not silence.”
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh justified the opposition’s walk-out by saying, “As expected, the External Affairs Minister made a suo motu statement on the situation in the Rajya Sabha, on which no questions can be asked nor any clarification sought. The entire opposition wanted an immediate discussion on the West Asian situation. This was rejected and hence the opposition walked out in protest.”
The incident occurred after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s statement in the Rajya Sabha regarding the ongoing conflict situation in West Asia, while the opposition demanded a discussion to question the Centre.
Addressing the upper house of Parliament amid sloganeering by opposition MPs, Jaishankar said that “the Prime Minister is continuously monitoring the emerging developments and line ministries are coordinating to ensure effective response.”
Jaishankar said that the government had already expressed its apprehensions regarding regional instability.
“Our government issued a statement on February 20 expressing deep concern and urging all parties to exercise restraint. We still believe that dialogue and diplomacy should be used to reduce tensions,” he said.
Before this statement, Mallikarjun Kharge had sought a short-term discussion in the Rajya Sabha on India’s energy security in the wake of the West Asia conflict.
Referring to the rise in cooking gas prices, Kharge said the conflict has affected India’s energy security and the country’s image.
Kharge said, “I would like to briefly discuss the emerging challenges facing India’s energy security. This conflict is not limited to West Asia only; it has now affected India’s energy security and the country’s image. This conflict will also have consequences for our economic stability.”
The development comes after the war that began on February 28 was centered on Iran following joint strikes by the US and Israel. Former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several prominent members of the ruling party were killed in these attacks. The situation has since worsened, with new attacks on oil reserves and water desalination plants over the weekend.
This morning the suspended MPs also protested in the Parliament complex and stood with a banner that read, “Silencing the opposition is tantamount to murder of democracy.”