India Not Planning Debate on Middle East Conflict in Parliament
Lok Sabha proceedings came to a halt on Monday after repeated disruptions by Opposition MPs, preventing the House from taking up a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla. The discussion on the resolution may now take place today, as according to reports, the government has set aside about 10 hours for the discussion on the no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla. The disruptions began early on Monday when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stood up to brief the House on the situation in West Asia. As he started speaking, Opposition members began shouting slogans and demanded a detailed debate on the ongoing crisis in the region. Presiding over the session, BJP MP Jagadambika Pal pointed out that the House already had a resolution listed for discussion — the motion seeking Birla’s removal as Speaker. At the same time, the Opposition had also submitted a notice asking for the proceedings to be adjourned so that the West Asia issue could be debated. Pal questioned how both matters could be discussed on the same day. When the House met again, the protests continued. Pal reminded Opposition MPs that the motion related to Birla was already scheduled and said their request to adjourn the House for a discussion on West Asia could not be taken up. He also alleged that the Opposition was deliberately trying to block the debate on the motion against Birla. Pal added that both the government and the Chair were ready to take up the resolution, but the disruptions were stopping the House from moving forward. Birla himself did not preside over the proceedings because the motion against him is still pending. After Jaishankar finished his statement, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Opposition, saying they were not respecting parliamentary rules. He noted that the notice seeking Birla’s removal had already been accepted and that the government was open to discussing it, but continuous protests were preventing the debate. The Lok Sabha was first adjourned earlier in the day because of the protests. When the House met again at 3 pm, the disruptions continued, and the proceedings were eventually adjourned for the rest of the day. A group of 118 Opposition MPs has moved a no-confidence motion against Om Birla , accusing the Lok Sabha Speaker of running the House in a clearly biased way. After the notice was submitted, Birla stepped aside from chairing the proceedings in the Lok Sabha. He is expected to return to the Speaker’s chair only after the issue is settled. Even though the move has added to the political tension, it is unlikely to pass because the ruling National Democratic Alliance has a strong majority in Parliament. PM Narendra Modi has also come out in support of Birla, saying the Speaker has followed the Constitution and maintained the values of parliamentary democracy. Once the Session began, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha about the worsening situation in West Asia and said that the government has been closely watching the developments. He said the government had already released a statement on February 20 expressing serious concern over the rising tensions and had urged all sides to show restraint. He called for crisis to be resolved in West Asia via “dialogue and diplomacy” to reduce tensions. Jaishankar also said the situation is being closely monitored by Narendra Modi, with different ministries working together to respond to the developments and protect India’s interests. Speaking about the larger impact, he said, “This ongoing conflict is of particular concern to India. We are a neighbouring region, and have obvious stakes that West Asia remains stable. There are one crore Indians who live and work in the Gulf nations. In Iran, too, there are a few thousand Indians for study or employment. The region is key to our energy security and includes many important suppliers of oil and gas….Serious supply chain disruptions and a climate of instability are serious issues.” He also said that the conflict has continued to grow and the security situation in the region has worsened. According to him, the fighting has now spread to other countries, causing large-scale damage and affecting daily life and normal activities across the region. Jaishankar also said that all efforts are being made to bring back the Indians who are stuck in West Asia. He also said, “contacts with Iran at the leadership level are obviously difficult at this time; I have spoken to Iranian Foreign Minister.” He further informed that there were many students who disregarded the advsory initially and got stuck in Iran later. The effort to bring them back is on to. The second phase of the Budget Session will also focus on examining the Demands for Grants for different ministries for the financial year 2026–27. Lawmakers are also expected to take up the Finance Bill 2026, which includes the tax changes announced in the Union Budget 2026 earlier this year. Repeated appeals from the Chair, led by Sandhya Ray, failed to calm the situation in the Lok Sabha as Opposition members continued to display placards and raise slogans from the Well of the House. With the disruption persisting and proceedings unable to continue smoothly, Ms. Ray eventually adjourned the House briefly till 12 p.m. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticised the opposition for sloganeering during the Lok Sabha proceedings, saying their protests would not stop the country’s progress. Referring to the disruption in the House, he remarked that the opposition may continue shouting slogans about the government’s removal, but India will continue moving forward and setting new records in development. Opposition members continued their protest in both Houses of Parliament by raising slogans and displaying placards during the proceedings. The demonstrations caused disruptions as members pressed their demands and voiced objections during the session. During a discussion on farmers’ issues in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan strongly condemned the opposition’s sloganeering inside the House, criticising the protests while the debate on farmers’ matters was underway. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge called the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process a “fraud” during the proceedings, prompting an immediate intervention from Chairman P. Radhakrishnan, who said such remarks would not be allowed in the House. Opposition members protested the decision, with some reportedly displaying placards. The Chairman reminded members that placards are not permitted inside the House and said that adequate time had already been given during the earlier debate on electoral reforms to raise such issues. As sloganeering continued, the Chairman responded to demands from members seeking to speak, saying, “You can not force the Chair, to take political advantage.” He reiterated that all members had been given an opportunity to raise their views during the earlier debate on electoral reforms. Zero Hour is currently underway in the House, with opposition leaders demanding that the Leader of the Opposition be given an opportunity to speak. Responding to the demand, Chairman P. Radhakrishnan said that he would allow the Leader of the Opposition to address the House. The development comes amid continued protests and demands from opposition members during the proceedings. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is expected to initiate the discussion on the resolution related to the proposed no-confidence motion. The government side is likely to defend the functioning of Speaker Om Birla during the debate. Several ruling party MPs are also scheduled to participate and present their views during the proceedings. As the Question Hour began in the Lok Sabha, opposition members raised slogans alleging “vote chori” (vote theft), disrupting proceedings and protesting against the government. The sloganeering was heard from opposition benches as members voiced their objections, drawing attention to the issue while the House attempted to continue with the scheduled Question Hour. The opposition’s proposed no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla will only be formally introduced if the House grants permission for it. The resolution is expected to be moved during the ongoing budget session of Parliament. If accepted, the motion will open the door for a debate in the Lok Sabha over the conduct and functioning of the Speaker. Around 118 MPs from various opposition parties have signed the No-Confidence Motion, alleging that the Speaker has acted in a partisan manner during proceedings, particularly after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was reportedly not allowed to speak in the House. The Congress has criticised External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for his statement in Parliament on the West Asia situation, calling it “vapid”. The party also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy “(mis)adventurism”, along with what it described as the government’s weakening of the Indian Foreign Service, is pushing India towards “vassalage”. In a statement issued on Monday, the Congress’ foreign affairs department - headed by former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid - said the minister’s remarks “inexplicably” did not mention the sinking of the vessel IRIS Dena in what it called India’s strategic neighbourhood. According to the party, this incident undermines India’s role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region. -PTI Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav has raised concerns over reports of a possible shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He said the supply problem is not limited to India and is being seen across the world. However, he accused the government of giving people the impression that there is enough stock of LPG, petrol and diesel in the country. Yadav also pointed out that a large share of India’s crude oil imports (around 80%) passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently shut. According to him, the disruption in this key route is affecting supplies. The Samajwadi Party leader further argued that the country is facing losses because of what he described as the government’s poor policy decisions. The topic is likely to be raised in the Parliament today amid rising concerns. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the issue of the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will continue to remain a key matter in Parliament. Raut also said that MPs in both Houses had demanded a discussion on how the ongoing conflict in the region could affect India. According to him, talking about the possible impact of the situation is important for the country, but the government is not willing to allow such a debate. He also referred to the statement made on Monday by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, saying the minister spoke about peace even though tensions remain high in areas close to India. Raut further questioned the government’s approach to the situation and raised concerns about the Prime Minister’s earlier visit to Israel before the conflict began. BJD MP Sasmit Patra said the upcoming Lok Sabha session will be important as it will include a discussion on the motion seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla. Patra said the issue is significant for Parliament and requires serious discussion. He stressed that MPs from all political parties should come together and focus on dialogue and meaningful debate during the session. He also said the government should remain open to hearing the Opposition’s concerns and demands, and that discussions in the House should move forward through cooperation and constructive engagement. Welcome back to day 2 of the Parliament Budget Session. After much sloganeering on Monday by the Opposition MPs on Jaishanakr's West Asia crisis statement, the House failed to take up the discussion on motion against Om Birla. The Parliament is expected to have a heated debate over the no-confidence motion today. Stay tuned with us for further updates. Iran had sought India’s permission for three of its ships to dock at Indian ports, and the request was approved the following day, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Parliament. In a statement in Parliament, Jaishankar said one of the vessels, IRIS Lavan, docked at Kochi port on March 4. The disclosure comes amid heightened tensions in the Indian Ocean region following the sinking of an Iranian warship by the United States last week. It also marks the first time that a senior minister has publicly confirmed Iran’s request to dock its ships at Indian ports. Air India’s workforce has been “modernised” following its privatisation, with younger and more skilled employees brought in to align with private-sector performance standards, the government informed Parliament on Monday. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the airline has restructured employment contracts, recruited new staff and offered exit options for untenured employees as part of efforts to improve operational efficiency under the new management. The Tata Group acquired Air India from the government in January 2022. Since then, the airline has undertaken a series of changes, including fleet upgrades, route expansion and technology overhauls, as part of a broader transformation strategy. Over 24,000 MW of coal- and lignite-based power capacity is currently at various stages of planning in India, with several thermal power projects also under construction to meet the country’s rising electricity demand, the government informed Parliament on Monday. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik said 39,545 MW of thermal power capacity is under construction, including 4,845 MW of stressed projects. He added that the government has identified an additional 24,020 MW of coal and lignite-based capacity for future development as part of efforts to ensure adequate power supply as demand continues to grow. According to official projections, India’s thermal power capacity requirement is expected to reach about 307,000 MW by 2034–35, compared with an installed capacity of around 211,855 MW as of March 2023. Amid noisy scenes in the Lok Sabha on the opening day of Parliament’s Budget session, proceedings were adjourned for the day and will resume at 11 am on Tuesday. The House had briefly reconvened in the afternoon after an earlier adjournment, but continued disruptions and protests by members forced the Chair, Jagdambika Pal, to suspend proceedings. The government is not planning a debate in Parliament on the ongoing Middle East conflict, according to media reports. The decision comes after Opposition parties asked for a full discussion on the issue. According to reports, the government believes a separate debate is redundant for now because EAM S Jaishankar has already informed both Houses of Parliament about the situation and India’s position. Meanwhile, the House is likely to take up the resolution seeking the removal of Om Birla as Speaker of the Lok Sabha on Tuesday at around noon. Aparajita Sarangi, BJP MP from Bhubaneswar, strongly defended Om Birla amid the no-confidence motion against him as Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Sarangi said Birla is widely respected by MPs because of his calm nature, patience and ability to manage the House. She pointed out that during the 17th Lok Sabha, the House functioned very efficiently, with productivity reaching around 97 percent. She also said that in seven sessions during his tenure, productivity was close to 100 percent, showing that Parliament worked smoothly under his leadership. She added that several major laws were passed while Birla was Speaker. These included the removal of provisions like Article 370 and Article 35A, as well as the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, commonly known as the Triple Talaq law. According to Sarangi, the passage of such important legislation reflects Birla’s capability and effectiveness as Speaker. Kiren Rijiju will begin the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Opposition’s resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla. The motion, signed by 118 Opposition MPs, accuses the Speaker of “partisan behaviour”, including allegedly not allowing Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to speak in the House. According to ANI, several leaders are expected to participate in the discussion, including Anurag Thakur, Nishikant Dubey, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Bhartruhari Mahtab, along with Chirag Paswan, chief of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). Rijiju criticised the Indian National Congress for bringing the motion, saying it was moved “without any reason” and only to satisfy “one man's stubbornness.” He added that the ruling side was ready to respond and the proposal would “have to face defeat.” Akhilesh Yadav, MP from the Samajwadi Party, demanded a discussion in Parliament on India’s foreign policy, alleging pressure from the United States over oil purchases. Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament complex, he said, “The US is dictating whom we should buy oil from. There should be a discussion in Parliament on India's foreign policy.” Opposition parties are also expected to raise concerns over the interim India–US trade deal. Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress has earlier called the agreement “anti-farmer”, accusing the government of compromising India’s sovereign interests. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, BJP MP and former foreign secretary, said the government has clearly explained its position on the ongoing West Asia conflict. He said that Jaishankar presented a comprehensive statement in the Rajya Sabha outlining the government’s view on the situation. Agreeing with the EAM, Shringla said that the government will keep a close watch on the developments in the region and respond as the situation evolves. During EAM Jaishankar’s speech in Parliament on the West Asia conflict, Opposition members raised loud slogans. In response, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Opposition and said they themselves seemed unsure about what they wanted. Rijiju accused them of not following basic parliamentary decorum and described their behaviour as irresponsible. He said he had rarely seen such conduct from the Opposition. He also took a dig at them by asking whether the country was being treated as if it belonged to a single family. Rijiju added that the government was open to a discussion on the issue related to the Speaker and challenged the Opposition to allow the debate to take place if they were willing to face it. Amid ruckus in Parliament over Jasihankar's address on Iran was, the Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 3 pm. Kiren Rijiju slammed the Opposition for interrupting Jaishanar's address on Iran war. "What you are doing, how will it benefit India? We are ready for debate and discussion but looks like Opposition is unable to understand values of Constitution," Rijiju said. Jaishankar has now begun is Lok Sabha address amid loud sloganeering. The chanting of slogans comes amid EAM's statement on Iran war. The Opposition has been demanding a proper debate on the issue and not just a statement from the government. This is why EAM's address was disrupted both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Monday. "We have to hear what he (Jaishankar) has to say. But we want a discussion on this issue. It's a very important issue. The country is deeply affected. Our energy security is at peril. Oil has gone above $100 a barrel this morning. Gas is being completely stopped from coming out of Qatar. Our factories do not have gas coming into India right now from that side. We can get from the East. So we'll try and get some supplies, but we are certainly suffering," Congress MP Shashi Tharoor noted. He also flagged recent price hikes --- including the increasing of LPG gas cylinders by Rs 60 over the weekend. Tharoor also predicted that petrol would soon cost more. Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha that the government held a high-level security meeting after tensions escalated in the Iran conflict. He said the Cabinet Committee on Security met on March 1 under the leadership of Narendra Modi to review the situation. During the meeting, officials discussed the airstrikes carried out in Iran and the retaliatory attacks that later spread to several Gulf countries. According to Jaishankar, the panel also looked into the possible risks for Indians living in the region and expressed concern about their safety and security as the conflict continues to grow. On the situation in West Asia, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar stated that the ongoing conflict is of deep concern to India. He added that the region is in India’s immediate neighbourhood and that New Delhi has vital stakes in ensuring its stability. He pointed out that nearly one crore Indians live and work in the Gulf countries, while a few thousand more are present in Iran for studies or employment. He added that West Asia is critical to India’s energy security, being home to many of its key oil and gas suppliers. Serious supply-chain disruptions and an atmosphere of instability, he noted, are major worries for the country. Jaishankar further observed that the conflict has continued to intensify, with the security situation in the region deteriorating sharply. The fighting has now spread to several other countries, causing widespread destruction, while normal life and daily activities have been visibly disrupted across the area. This version keeps the original meaning and tone intact, sounds natural in news style, and flows smoothly without any direct quotes. You can drop it straight into your story. If you need a shorter version, longer version, or headlines based on this Jaishankar statement, just let me know!
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