War and Civilians: While the Middle East is currently engulfed in a massive turmoil stemming from the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States—pushing the entire world to the brink of severe economic upheaval—the Indian Parliament is currently in session. Regarding this matter, External Affairs Minister Mr. S. Jaishankar has issued a statement affirming that India has never been in favor of war and seeks a peaceful resolution to every issue. However, the destructive force of war is so potent that, whether intentionally or otherwise, it possesses the capacity to drag even the world’s various peace-loving nations into its vortex.
Consequently, we are all witnessing the adverse repercussions that the Middle East conflict is having within India. Thus far, the most significant negative impact has been felt in the supply of fuel gas, and shortages are beginning to be experienced across the entire country; however, it would be entirely unjust to hold the ruling government directly responsible for this, given that India meets over 80 percent of its fuel gas requirements through imports.
The conflict in the Middle East has now reached a critical juncture where all established rules of warfare are crumbling. In their bid to neutralize one another’s power, Iran, Israel, and the United States are casting aside all ethical norms, thereby escalating the risk of a complete disruption in the global supply of crude oil. In this context, it is imperative to first understand that this conflict is entirely unconstitutional and unlawful, having been instigated by the obstinacy of U.S. President Mr. Donald Trump.
Upon initiating hostilities, Mr. Trump explicitly stated that his objective was to effect a regime change in Iran. In pursuit of this goal, he launched an attack on Iran that went so far as to result in the assassination of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. However, the nationalist populace of Iran perceived this act as a direct assault on their national sovereignty and subsequently rallied behind the second-tier leadership currently at the helm of the Iranian state. Subsequently, Iran—having committed its entire military might and capability to this conflict—launched attacks on U.S. military bases established across various nations in the Gulf and West Asian regions.
Furthermore, it began weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz—a vital maritime route under its control—through which more than 20 percent of the world’s crude oil is transported to various nations across the globe. Currently, with the exception of vessels from a select few nations, Iran is barring ships from other countries from traversing this strait, issuing stern warnings that any attempt by other nations to do so would result in the gravest of consequences.
When a conflict reaches such a critical juncture, global political and strategic equations inevitably begin to shift. Thus, the events we are currently witnessing in the Strait of Hormuz are, in essence, merely the adverse repercussions of this war. As for the Gulf and Arab nations, they, too, are bearing the brunt of the consequences stemming from their continued alliance with the United States in this conflict. However, the impact of this war is not limited solely to crude oil prices; since the Strait of Hormuz serves as a primary artery for commercial shipping, the supply of other commodities to various nations is also being disrupted.
This is precisely why, in India, a mere shortage of fuel gas is already leading to a significant decline in business for hotels and restaurants across its major metropolitan centers. Moreover, the obstruction of these maritime trade routes is exerting an indirect impact on a wide array of other goods and commodities as well.
The critical question now facing us is: how should India navigate this crisis? Regarding crude oil, India has already ramped up its imports from Russia and has initiated agreements with other oil-producing nations across the globe to ensure the fulfillment of its energy requirements. Concurrently, it is imperative that we—as citizens of India—comprehend how best to confront this unwelcome crisis in a manner that minimizes the hardships we are compelled to endure.
In this context, the significance of the ongoing session of our Parliament becomes immense, as the entire Parliament can speak in a united voice, asserting that the current government must pursue a policy—while prioritizing national interests above all else—that minimizes hardship for the common Indian citizen. Undoubtedly, India operates under a multi-party political and administrative framework; however, its primary objective remains the holistic development of the common citizen.
This objective can only be realized if we utilize our democratic system to forge an all-party consensus during times of crisis. In this endeavor, the government must take the initiative to reach out and take the opposition parties into its confidence; conversely, the opposition parties, too, must set aside their immediate political gains to stand in solidarity with the common citizen. Yet, we witnessed yesterday in the Lok Sabha a vote on a no-confidence motion moved against the Speaker—a motion that was ultimately defeated by a voice vote.
Taking stock of the debate on this no-confidence motion held in the House today, Speaker Shri Om Birla delivered a statement lasting approximately 28 minutes, in which he reiterated his resolve to uphold the dignity and decorum of the House in strict accordance with the rules. There is no room to cast aspersions upon our parliamentary democratic system, for the Constitution under which this system was established possesses the inherent capacity to accommodate all shades of opinion—provided, of course, that they adhere to non-violent means. Thus, the fundamental question revolves around that sense of national consciousness to which the entire democratic apparatus remains subservient.
At the very heart of this national consciousness stands the common citizen of India—the very reason why India is designated a Republic. Consequently, it becomes the duty of Parliament to temporarily set aside political interests and focus its efforts on empowering this common man by addressing and resolving his difficulties.
