Parliament Watch: S. Jaishankar speaks on Ukraine and Defence Minister on missile misfire

ViNnUS March 15, 2022

On the second day of part two of the Budget Session, in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar gave his address on the Russia-Ukraine situation and the evacuation of Indian citizens. "Despite the challenges posed by the serious ongoing conflict, we have ensured that about 22,500 citizens have returned home safely," the External Affairs Minister said. He admitted that the Ukraine conflict was having major economic implications in India and its impact on energy and commodity prices was already visible. He added that the disruption of the global supply chain was expected to be significant and since India had substantial dealings with both Russia and Ukraine, an assessment in this regard by the government was under way. After Mr. Jaishankar's statement, several MPs raised questions on the evacuation efforts made by India to bring back citizens and on its position on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge asked: "Why did we issue advisories to leave later than others, why did our students face danger that citizens of other countries didn't?" Other opposition MPs also raised the issues of the future of medical students who have been evacuated from Ukraine; the return of the mortal remains of Naveen Sekharappa, the student who died in Kharkiv; and disruption in the supply chain of commodities over the Ukraine crisis. The External Affairs Minister gave another statement answering the questions raised by the MPs. "Sitting here it is very easy to pass judgements," Mr. Jaishankar said, adding that there was a need to understand what the situation of the students would have been at the time. Regarding India's stand at the United Nation Security Council on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he said that the only way out is to return to dialogue and diplomacy. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also addressed the Rajya Sabha on the 'Inadvertent firing of a missile' that took place on March 9. According to the Ministry of Defence, a technical malfunction had resulted in the "accidental" firing of a missile which had landed in an area in Pakistan. Mr. Singh informed the House that following the incident, a high-level enquiry had been ordered to ascertain the cause. Additionally, a review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for operations, maintenance and inspections is being conducted. "I can assure the House that the missile system is very reliable & safe," he said. Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Singh also made addresses on these issues in the Lower House. The work of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was also discussed and debated in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. During the Question Hour, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the House on the matter of GST compensation to the States, and on the ABG Shipyard bank fraud case. In a written reply issued to the Rajya Sabha, Ms. Sitharaman said that no involvement of public sector bank employees was found in the Rs 14,349 crore bank fraud by ABG Shipyard Ltd (ABGSL), adding that the CBI had registered a case against the company and its directors in February. She also informed in a reply that over Rs 53,600 crore of Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation is yet to be released to the states for the current fiscal year. In another written reply, Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, informed the Rajya Sabha that the government was not planning to introduce cryptocurrency, adding that cryptocurrencies are currently unregulated in India. Coming to the Lok Sabha, the session on Tuesday was extended to continue till 10 pm. Union Minister Nityanand Rai said in the session that no decision had been taken on the preparation of a countrywide National Register of Citizens (NRC). Mr. Rai also told the house that incidents of Naxal violence in the country had come down by 77%, from a record high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 last year. Discussions were also held on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways for 2022-23. TMC MP Nusrat Jahan Ruhi alleged that the government was planning on selling the Indian Railways to private players. Multiple opposition MPs sought clarity on whether the Centre was planning to privatise the Railways. DMK MP Kanimozhi during the question hour stated there was a disparity in the quality of coaches in Northern and Southern India. She also said that people from Southern India do not get adequate jobs in the railways. The minister put forth figures suggesting that budgetary allocation to North India was 101 times more than that of Southern India. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told the Lok Sabha that the Press Information Bureau's fact check unit started in 2019 to check fake news, has responded to over 31,000 queries so far. Compiled by Diksha Munjal.

Parliament Watch

15 MARCH 2022

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S. Jaishankar speaks on Ukraine and Defence Minister on missile misfire

"Despite the challenges posed by the serious ongoing conflict, we have ensured that about 22,500 citizens have returned home safely," the External Affairs Minister said. He admitted that the Ukraine conflict was having major economic implications in India and its impact on energy and commodity prices was already visible. He added that the disruption of the global supply chain was expected to be significant and since India had substantial dealings with both Russia and Ukraine, an assessment in this regard by the government was under way.

After Mr. Jaishankar's statement, several MPs raised questions on the evacuation efforts made by India to bring back citizens and on its position on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge asked: "Why did we issue advisories to leave later than others, why did our students face danger that citizens of other countries didn't?"

Other opposition MPs also raised the issues of the future of medical students who have been evacuated from Ukraine; the return of the mortal remains of Naveen Sekharappa, the student who died in Kharkiv; and disruption in the supply chain of commodities over the Ukraine crisis.

The External Affairs Minister gave another statement answering the questions raised by the MPs. "Sitting here it is very easy to pass judgements," Mr. Jaishankar said, adding that there was a need to understand what the situation of the students would have been at the time. Regarding India's stand at the United Nation Security Council on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he said that the only way out is to return to dialogue and diplomacy.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also addressed the Rajya Sabha on the 'Inadvertent firing of a missile' that took place on March 9. According to the Ministry of Defence, a technical malfunction had resulted in the "accidental" firing of a missile which had landed in an area in Pakistan. Mr. Singh informed the House that following the incident, a high-level enquiry had been ordered to ascertain the cause. Additionally, a review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for operations, maintenance and inspections is being conducted. "I can assure the House that the missile system is very reliable & safe," he said. Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Singh also made addresses on these issues in the Lower House.

The work of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was also discussed and debated in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

During the Question Hour, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the House on the matter of GST compensation to the States, and on the ABG Shipyard bank fraud case. In a written reply issued to the Rajya Sabha, Ms. Sitharaman said that no involvement of public sector bank employees was found in the Rs 14,349 crore bank fraud by ABG Shipyard Ltd (ABGSL), adding that the CBI had registered a case against the company and its directors in February. She also informed in a reply that over Rs 53,600 crore of Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation is yet to be released to the states for the current fiscal year.

In another written reply, Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, informed the Rajya Sabha that the government was not planning to introduce cryptocurrency, adding that cryptocurrencies are currently unregulated in India.

Coming to the Lok Sabha, the session on Tuesday was extended to continue till 10 pm.

Union Minister Nityanand Rai said in the session that no decision had been taken on the preparation of a countrywide National Register of Citizens (NRC). Mr. Rai also told the house that incidents of Naxal violence in the country had come down by 77%, from a record high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 last year.

Discussions were also held on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways for 2022-23. TMC MP Nusrat Jahan Ruhi alleged that the government was planning on selling the Indian Railways to private players. Multiple opposition MPs sought clarity on whether the Centre was planning to privatise the Railways.

DMK MP Kanimozhi during the question hour stated there was a disparity in the quality of coaches in Northern and Southern India. She also said that people from Southern India do not get adequate jobs in the railways. The minister put forth figures suggesting that budgetary allocation to North India was 101 times more than that of Southern India.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told the Lok Sabha that the Press Information Bureau's fact check unit started in 2019 to check fake news , has responded to over 31,000 queries so far.

Compiled by Diksha Munjal.