New Delhi, July 20 Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning tomorrow, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress Assam President, Gaurav Gogoi, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address three pressing national concerns - India’s foreign policy direction, continuing unrest in Manipur, and defence preparedness amid rising tensions with China and Pakistan.
Speaking to reporters after an all-party meeting convened by the Centre on Sunday, Gogoi criticised the government for its silence on U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments about his role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire.
"No statement from any leader, no press release, but only the Prime Minister can answer such serious foreign policy and defence concerns," he said, urging PM Modi to make his stand clear in the Parliament.
The Congress leader also raised the issue of the ethnic violence in Manipur, stating that despite the Prime Minister’s earlier assurance of peace, the northeastern state remains in turmoil even after two and a half years.
“He is touring small countries (referring to Modi’s recent tour of Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, Namibia) but is unwilling to visit Manipur. Why is the Prime Minister hesitating to go to a small Indian state when it’s burning?” Gogoi asked.
On defence and national security, Gogoi highlighted the military’s warnings about a possible two-front conflict with China and Pakistan. He accused the government of ignoring Parliament’s role in discussing critical matters like defence allocations and foreign policy.
“We had raised these issues in the last session, but they were not addressed. We expect the Prime Minister to speak this time,” he added.
Gogoi also expressed concern over the Election Commission’s silence in Bihar regarding the contentious special intensive revision (SIR) and hinted at uncertainty over its national implementation.
With the Monsoon Session poised to be stormy, the opposition is gearing up to press the government for accountability on these key national issues.
--IANS
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