Centre in tight spot over Gaza; refuses discussion over Israel, Palestine

New Delhi: The BJP-led NDA government on Wednesday refused to take up a discussion on the Gaza situation, that was on the Rajya Sabha’s list of business, arguing that it would adversely affect India’s ties with both Israel and Palestine.

“We have diplomatic ties with both the nations. Any discourteous reference to any friendly country can impact our relations with them,” external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj argued.

Resisting the debate, Ms Swaraj said that she had come to know about the listing of the issue in the day’s business a bit late and asked Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari to allow the listed business be dropped.

The Upper House saw repeated adjournments, before it was adjourned for the day at 3 pm as the Opposition, led by the Congress, refused to listen to the government or the Chair to let the Railway Budget be discussed instead.

The Opposition maintained that the business list, which was circulated in the morning, has become property of the House and whether or not to allow the discussion on Gaza situation should be decided by getting the “sense of the House.”

The Chair said the situation was “extremely peculiar”, that it “has no precedent”, and that the rulebook needed to be examined.

Both the Union government and the Opposition locked horns over the issue of discussion and cited rules, while arguing for and against on whether the business once listed can be altered.