India voice of peace, security, says Jaishankar

INTERNATIONAL DESK: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday made a suo motu statement on “latest developments in India’s foreign policy” in both Houses of Parliament amid sloganeering by Opposition members demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on the Manipur issue.

Listing the overseas engagements by the President, the Vice President and the Prime Minister, Jaishankar said India’s stature has been rising globally and the country is emerging as a “credible and effective” development partner.

The minister spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States and the key outcomes of it. He also spoke about the PM’s visit to the UAE and Egypt and highlighted instances of India hosting the Shanghai Corporation Organisation summit and co-chairing the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation in Papua New Guinea.

“He (Modi) was also accorded the rare privilege of addressing a joint session of the US Congress for a second time,” the minister said, adding, “Today, the world recognises that when India speaks, it speaks not only for itself, but for many others. India speaks as a voice of peace, security, and prosperity for all.”

Jaishankar further said India assumed the landmark G20 presidency in 2022, at the beginning of Amrit Kaal. “We will host the summit in September. Our Presidency has served as a catalyst to invigorate our foreign policy and given more force to realise the Prime Minister’s vision of an Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat that regains its rightful place in the world,” he said.

The Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha continued raising slogans such as “Pradhan Mantri Sadan me aao, Sadan me aake kuch toh bolo” throughout the minister’s statement, prompting the latter to question the priorities of the Opposition’s grouping, “INDIA”. “They claim to be ‘INDIA’, but if they are not prepared to listen about India’s national interests then what kind of India are they,” he asked.

Noting that India’s President and Prime Minister have received the highest honours from other countries, he said, “If you cannot respect the President, cannot respect the Vice President, cannot respect the Prime Minister; if you won’t allow the Foreign Minister to make a statement in the House; then it’s a very sorry state of affairs.” In matters of national interests, politics should be set aside, he said.

To quieten the House after the minister’s address, Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar said: “Honourable members, we should never forget that the decade belongs to India, the decade belongs to our country. Rise of our country is unstoppable, the century belongs to us. I appeal to you to carefully go through the historic achievements that have been reflected in the address by the foreign minister. I have noticed during my three visits abroad, being citizen of this country is a great honour.”

He then opened the floor to Leader of the House Piyush Goyal who questioned the “politicisation” of a serious issue about India’s recognition in world forum. He also took pot shots at the Opposition members for wearing black clothes as a symbol of protest.

Members of the BJP raised slogans such as “Kale kapde, kala kaam, nahi sahega Hindustan” against the Opposition members when Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge rose to speak in the Rajya Sabha.

Following this, the proceedings of the House were adjourned for around 15 minutes. When the session resumed, the floor was again given to Kharge. However, the chaos continued in the House and the session was again adjourned till afternoon without Kharge getting a chance to speak. (TIE)