Meenakshi Lekhi, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, refuted on Saturday signing any paperwork designating Hamas, the terrorist outfit ruled by the Palestinians in Gaza, as a terrorist group in India.
On the micro-blogging platform X, previously known as Twitter, Lekhi demanded an investigation after someone uploaded a document mentioning her name that was accessible on the Ministry of External Affairs website.
“I have not signed any paper with this question and this answer, Dr. S. Jaishankar, PMO India,” the woman wrote. “You have been misinformed.” She demanded an investigation and said the culprit would be exposed shortly in a separate tweet.
India expressed worry on Friday over the worsening security conditions resulting from the war between Israel and Hamas and called for “restraint and de-escalation” while highlighting the need for “dialogue and diplomacy” to find a peaceful settlement.
Priyanka Chaturvedi, an Uddhav Sena MP, took to X to ask the Ministry of External Affairs to clarify the situation. “Meenakshi Lekhi ji is denying and disassociating to a response attributed to her in the tweet below. She says has no idea who drafted this as a response to a PQ since she didn’t sign it,” the writer stated.
“We remain concerned at the deteriorating security situation and have called for restraint, de-escalation and emphasized peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy,” he wrote in response to a query.
“We welcome the humanitarian pauses and the release of hostages,” he stated. Speaking with several regional and international leaders, including the president and prime minister of Israel and the president of Palestine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaishankar.
“India has also strongly taken up the ongoing situation in Gaza at multilateral fora such as G20, BRICS, and Voice of Global South Summit and reiterated its stance,” Jaishankar stated.
“Is she therefore asserting that it is a fabricated response? If so, this is a grave transgression and breach of the established guidelines. Would want an explanation from MEA,” she continued.
The Lok Sabha was told by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that India vehemently condemns both the terror assault on Israel on October 7 and the deaths of civilians in the current fighting.
He added that six special aircraft under “Operation Ajay” had brought 1,309 Indian nationals back to their homeland from Israel, and that New Delhi had also helped bring back one Indian person from the Gaza Strip.
In response to a different inquiry concerning India’s non-voting on a dispute settlement at the UN, the minister of external affairs stated that New Delhi’s stance on Palestine is well-established. “We have always supported a negotiated two-state solution, towards establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders, living side by side in peace with Israel,” he stated.
In another exchange, Lekhi declined to directly respond to a question on whether India would grant Israel’s request to label Hamas a terrorist organization. “Designation of an organization as terrorist is covered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and declaring any organization as terrorist is considered as per the provisions of the Act by the relevant government departments,” she stated.
