New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s central government over remarks that India does not see itself as a “dalaal” (broker) like Pakistan and questioned its past diplomatic outreach.Congress leader Pawan Khera posted on X, “As Modi desperately tries to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, is India a ‘broker state’? Selective mediation or selective memory?”
His remarks came after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told leaders at an all-party meeting that India was not acting as a “dalal” state like Pakistan, amid growing reports that India was mediating in the ongoing conflict with Iran.It is understood that Jaishankar said at a meeting held at the Parliament Building to discuss the Middle East crisis, “We are not a Dara country.” He also noted that there was nothing new in Pakistan’s mediation efforts, adding that the country had been “exploited” by the United States since 1981, PTI sources said.The meeting comes as countries such as Pakistan and Türkiye are stepping up efforts to act as mediators between Washington and Tehran to ease tensions.The government refuted opposition accusations that New Delhi was silent on the situation, insisting “we are commenting and responding”, the source added.Immediately after the opening of the Iranian embassy, the foreign secretary visited and signed a book of condolence, and the government’s accusation against the opposition told all parties that India showed moral weakness by not condoling the death of Iran’s supreme leader sooner.The government is also said to have informed all parties that its primary concern is ensuring the safety of the Indian diaspora living in the Gulf and meeting domestic energy needs.However, the opposition said the answers provided by the government at the meeting were “unsatisfactory” and asked the House of Commons and the House of Federation to debate the situation in West Asia.Congress lawmaker Tariq Anwar lashed out at the government, saying Pakistan was playing the role of mediator while “we remain silent spectators”.He said the debate should be held on the situation in the Lok Sabha under Rule 193 and in the House of Federation under Rule 176.All federal ministers, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman represent the government on the Cabinet Committee on Security.Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju were also present at the meeting. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri spoke before the meeting.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 the JD-U, Srikant Shinde of the Shiv Sena, Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party, John Brittas of the CPI-M, Supriya Sule of the NCP (SP), Arvind of the Shiv Sawant was attended by opposition leaders including Sena (UBT), AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, and the meeting lasted for nearly two hours.Sources said the government said there was no need to panic as India had sufficient stocks and more crude oil and gas were coming.“We have completed advance orders. Diversification of oil and gas sources has been achieved and now we are purchasing from 41 countries,” the government said at the meeting.
