NEW DELHI: Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government for their remark that India does not see itself as a “dalaal” (broker) like Pakistan, questioning it’s past diplomatic outreach.Congress leader Pawan Khera, in a post on X, said, “Was India a ‘Broker Country’ when Modi was desperate to mediate between Russia & Ukraine? Selective brokering or selective memory?”His remarks came after external affairs minister S Jaishankar told leaders at an all-party meeting that India does not act as a “dalaal” nation, amid growing reports of mediation efforts in the ongoing Iran conflict.”We are not a dalaal nation,” Jaishankar is learnt to have said during the meeting convened at the Parliament complex to discuss the West Asia crisis.
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He also noted that there was nothing new in Pakistan’s mediation efforts, adding that the country has been “used” by the United States since 1981, according to PTI sources.The meeting took place as countries such as Pakistan and Turkey have stepped up efforts to act as intermediaries between Washington and Tehran in a bid to de-escalate tensions.The sources added that the government refuted the opposition’s charge that New Delhi was silent on the situation, asserting that “we are commenting and responding”. When the Iran embassy was opened, the foreign secretary visited immediately and signed the condolence book, the government told the parties in response to the Opposition’s charge that India displayed moral weakness in not condoling the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader sooner.The government is also said to have informed the parties that its prime concern is ensuring the security of the Indian diaspora living in the Gulf region and fulfilling domestic energy needs.The Opposition, however, said the answers provided at the meeting by the government were “unsatisfactory” and demanded that a debate be held on the West Asia situation in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.Lashing out at the government, Congress’s Tariq Anwar said Pakistan is performing the mediator’s role while “we are still mute spectators”.He said there should be a debate on the situation in Lok Sabha under rule 193 and in Rajya Sabha under rule 176.All Union ministers part of the cabinet committee on Security, defence minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah, Jaishankar and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman — represented the government.Union health minister JP Nadda and Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju also attended. foreign secretary Vikram Misri made a presentation before the gathering.Tariq Anwar and Mukul Wasnik of the Congress, Dharmendra Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Sasmit Patra of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Sanjay Jha of JD-U, Srikant Shinde of Shiv Sena, Sanjay Singh of Aam Aadmi Party, John Brittas of CPI-M, Supriya Sule of NCP (SP), Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (UBT), Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM were among the Opposition leaders who attended the meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours.The sources said the government conveyed that there is no need for panic as India has enough stock with more crude oil and gas coming.”We have already done advance order. Diversification of sources of oil and gas has been undertaken and now we are procuring from 41 countries,” the government told the meeting.
