Govt inactive after attacks on Indians in US: Opposition
NEW DELHI: The second leg of the Budget session of Parliament began on a stormy note on Thursday with political parties on either side of the aisle expressing concern over racial attacks on Indians settled in the US and demanded that the government take up the matter immediately with the Trump Administration.
Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent on the issue the Opposition demanded that the government spell out what steps were taken to protect Indians in the US. Home Minister Rajnath Singh responded by sharing the concern of the House and said the government had taken a “serious note of the incidents.”
The government would make a comprehensive statement in the House on the issue and steps taken for ensuring safety of Indians in America, he said.
Opposition members such as Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress), Saugata Roy (TMC), Mohd Salim said "racial attacks" on Indians started after Donald Trump took over as the President of the US.
Kharge raised the issue during Zero Hour after the Speaker refused to admit an adjournment motion notice served by Congress and other members. While pointing out that a “couple of Indians have been killed and another attacked in racial attacks,” Kharge alleged that the Centre had "failed" to take up the issue with the US government and accused the PM of maintaining silence on the matter.
“Why has the Modi government maintained a silence? We have a prime minister who tweets on every issue and seen travelling frequently abroad and hugging world leaders. But he has kept quiet over such a serious matter,” Kharge said.
Trinamool leader Saugata Roy said the government was not taking steps for protection of Indians in the US. “It is strange that our voluble, articulate prime minister is keeping silent… The government must show gumption and guts to stand up to bullies in the US,” he said.
Earlier Trinamool MPs staged a dharna near the Gandhi statue over the issue. BJD floor leader Bhartruhari Mahtab said the government should issue an advisory for NRIs and ethnic Indians in the US about unsafe places there on the lines of travel advisory the US issues from time to time for citizens visiting India. AIADMK members too joined Opposition MPs in raising the matter.
Akali Dal member Prem Singh Chandumajra pointed out that similar attacks took place against turban-wearing Indians in France but then PM Manmohan Singh ‘failed to strongly take up’ the issue with the French government.
Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent on the issue the Opposition demanded that the government spell out what steps were taken to protect Indians in the US. Home Minister Rajnath Singh responded by sharing the concern of the House and said the government had taken a “serious note of the incidents.”
The government would make a comprehensive statement in the House on the issue and steps taken for ensuring safety of Indians in America, he said.
Opposition members such as Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress), Saugata Roy (TMC), Mohd Salim said "racial attacks" on Indians started after Donald Trump took over as the President of the US.
Kharge raised the issue during Zero Hour after the Speaker refused to admit an adjournment motion notice served by Congress and other members. While pointing out that a “couple of Indians have been killed and another attacked in racial attacks,” Kharge alleged that the Centre had "failed" to take up the issue with the US government and accused the PM of maintaining silence on the matter.
“Why has the Modi government maintained a silence? We have a prime minister who tweets on every issue and seen travelling frequently abroad and hugging world leaders. But he has kept quiet over such a serious matter,” Kharge said.
Trinamool leader Saugata Roy said the government was not taking steps for protection of Indians in the US. “It is strange that our voluble, articulate prime minister is keeping silent… The government must show gumption and guts to stand up to bullies in the US,” he said.
Earlier Trinamool MPs staged a dharna near the Gandhi statue over the issue. BJD floor leader Bhartruhari Mahtab said the government should issue an advisory for NRIs and ethnic Indians in the US about unsafe places there on the lines of travel advisory the US issues from time to time for citizens visiting India. AIADMK members too joined Opposition MPs in raising the matter.
Akali Dal member Prem Singh Chandumajra pointed out that similar attacks took place against turban-wearing Indians in France but then PM Manmohan Singh ‘failed to strongly take up’ the issue with the French government.
