Government rejects Opposition's demand for passing resolution to condemn Israeli strikes on Gaza

NEW DELHI: The Government on Tuesday rejected an Opposition demand in the Lok Sabha for Parliament passing a resolution to condemn the Israeli raids in Gaza. After creating an uproar, some Opposition parties, including Congress-led UPA, as well NDA member TDP, staged a walk-out to protest against the government stand.

Rejecting the Opposition demand, parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu said: "I have noted the views expressed by the members. Domestic politics should not affect our foreign policy," he said and pointed out that the matter was "highly sensitive" and "any move by the government should not have any implications".

Later talking to reporters, Naidu said, "why should India get involved in international conflicts where our national interests are not involved.

fter all the existence of Palestine is a reality as the existence of Israel. And India has diplomatic relations with both the countries". Naidu also blamed the Opposition for treating the issue as "an issues of minorities in India" and claimed that "there is no precedence of Parliament passing any such resolution".

(Parliament has passed several resolutions on international happenings not involving India in the past, including a resolution on Iraq during the previous NDA regime).

Earlier Congress leader Shashi Tharoor demanded Parliament pass a resolution to condemn the raids in Gaza. The Opposition parties argued that Parliament, in the past, had passed resolution to condemn such incidents.