New Delhi, March 24 -- The Central government has convened an all-party meeting on the West Asia crisis at 5 pm on Wednesday, sources said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to chair the meeting, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expected to be present, they said. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi told reporters at the Parliament House Complex that he would not be able to attend the all-party meeting as he is scheduled to attend a programme in Kerala. The call for an all-party meeting comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in Parliament on the West Asia situation. In his statement in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Modi said the government has constituted seven empowered groups to evolve strategies on fuel, supply chains and fertilisers, among others, and stem the impact of the Iran-Israel-US conflict.
Stating that the war has created a serious energy crisis globally, Modi warned people against taking advantage of the situation and asked the state governments to check black marketing and hoarding. The government is trying to procure gas and crude oil from all available sources, he said, asserting that efforts will continue in the coming days. He noted that necessary preparations have been made to ensure an adequate supply of fertilisers. Meanwhile, the Congress has hit out at the prime minister, saying that his statement on the crisis was a "prepared text full of self-praise" for all that he claims to have accomplished in the last 11 years. In his address in Lok Sabha on Monday, Modi had said the difficult global conditions caused by the West Asia conflict are likely to persist for a long time and called upon the nation to remain prepared and united, just as it had during the COVID-19 pandemic. He addressed concerns related to the impact on fuel, fertilisers, national security and other areas in India as well as on Indians residing in the West Asia region, detailing the steps taken by the government to ensure that "ordinary families face as little trouble as possible".
He said a unanimous voice on this crisis should go out to the world from India's Parliament. Reaffirming the country's unwavering commitment to humanity and peace, the prime minister said dialogue and diplomacy remain the only path to resolution, and every Indian effort is directed at de-escalation and cessation of hostilities. In his remarks, the prime minister had said that West Asia was important to India as nearly one crore Indians lived and worked in the Gulf countries. A high number of Indian crew members worked in commercial ships that sail in these seas. "Due to these varied reasons, India's concerns are naturally greater. Therefore, it is essential that a unanimous and united voice from India's Parliament on this crisis reaches the world," he had said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.