New Delhi: Agitated Congress members on March 10 had heated exchanges in Lok Sabha
with those from ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) on the Iraq crisis after they
alleged that the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government was being "guided" by
the United States and asked Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to make government's
stand clear on various aspects of the issue.
Stating that the government was concerned about the evolving situation in Iraq, BJP
Chief Whip Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the Prime Minister had convened an all-party
meeting and accused the Opposition of trying to gain "political mileage" by raising
the matter before the meeting.
They could raise the issue later after the meeting was over, he suggested.
When Congress Chief Whip Priyaranjan Dasmunsi and some of his colleagues charged that
the NDA government was being "guided" by the United States, Malhotra retorted, "I say
you and your party are being guided by the US."
Malhotra wanted to know from the Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi as to why has she
not made a statement on the Iraq issue clarifying her Congress party's stand.
"You do not read newspapers," Dasmunsi reacted angrily saying the Congress and the
Left parties were first to issue statements that the UN Security Council resolution
must be
adhered to in finding a solution to the crisis.
There is tension in the world, Malhotra said, adding both Houses had discussed the
matter before the Prime Minister went to attend the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) summit
last month amid noisy interruptions from Opposition benches.
Vajpayee has also made the government's stand clear that whatever action was needed
must be undertaken by UN Security Council, he said.
PTI
