The Centre on Wednesday faced a barrage of questions from the Opposition over the deepening West Asia crisis at an all-party meeting, even as senior ministers sought to allay concerns by asserting that India had adequate oil and gas reserves and there was no cause for panic.
Opposition parties criticised the government’s perceived silence, invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stated ambition of positioning India as a leader of the Global South.
Several Opposition leaders questioned New Delhi’s failure to respond when the US and Israel carried out air strikes on Iran. Congress leader Mukul Wasnik also flagged concerns over Pakistan’s emerging role as a mediator in the conflict.
“Has this government converted silence into statecraft?” CPM’s John Brittas is learnt to have asked. India’s decision to co-sponsor a UN resolution condemning Iran’s “egregious attacks” on its regional neighbours also came under scrutiny, with the Opposition arguing that it overlooked the fact that Tehran was attacked first.
Senior ministers, led by defence minister Rajnath Singh, largely avoided direct responses to the pointed questions, except on Pakistan’s role. External affairs minister S. Jaishankar reportedly dismissed Islamabad’s mediation efforts, asserting that “India will not act like a middleman and dalal (broker) nation like Pakistan.”
The response came as Opposition leaders questioned how Pakistan was being involved in backchannel efforts while India had been ignored by the US.
As the Opposition continued to press the issue of India’s silence — particularly following the killing of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and an attack on an Iranian naval vessel in the Indian Ocean — Jaishankar cited official statements issued by the Centre over the past three weeks.
On maritime concerns, ministers said some Indian vessels had managed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz owing to India’s “good relations” with Iran.
Briefing reporters, Brittas said the Opposition had urged the government to take a clear stand on what they described as a unilateral attack by the US on Iran, a sovereign nation. He added that concerns were also raised over Modi’s Israel visit and Pakistan’s proactive role. According to him, the government responded by reiterating the Prime Minister’s call for an early end to the conflict.
Congress MP Tariq Anwar termed the meeting “unsatisfactory” and demanded a detailed discussion on the West Asia crisis in Parliament.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, however, maintained that the government had addressed all concerns raised during the meeting.
Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri sought to reassure Opposition leaders on fuel availability, stating that India has sufficient reserves of LPG, CNG and other petroleum products to meet demand.