Oppn seeks house debate on West Asia, US trade deal

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the resumption of the budget session of Parliament on Monday after the recess, the opposition has sought a detailed debate in both the Houses on the situation arising out of the raging war in West Asia and on its implications, including on the energy sector, for India, and on the government’s strategy to deal with the situation.

The opposition also plans to demand a House discussion on the framework agreed for an interim India-US trade agreement.

The Congress leadership said that given the gravity of the war, the government should not limit itself to the ministers concerned making statements in the Houses about the situation but facilitate a full-fledged discussion on the matter.
“There is an attack on the whole of West Asia. An Iranian ship sank in the Indian Ocean. What is our strategy to deal with the situation?” Jairam Ramesh, Congress chief whip in the Rajya Sabha, told media persons. “There should be a debate on the situation in West Asia. The ministers’ statements on the foreign policies, situation in West Asia and the India-US trade deal are not enough. We want a three to four hour discussion on this.”