Killing of 39 Indians in Iraq: Congress to move privilege motion against Sushma Swaraj

Union External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj Photo: AFP


The Congress said on Wednesday that it will move a privilege motion against External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for “misleading” Parliament on the issue of the death of 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraq in 2014 from Mosul.

Congress leaders Ambika Soni, Pratap Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo accused the Narendra Modi government of trying to suppress the issue of killing of 39 Indians.

“We are definitely going to bring a privilege motion against the minister of India for having misguided the House both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,” Soni told reporters.

“When a minister gives statement on the floor of the house, it is considered an assurance. She (Sushma Swaraj) gave an assurance that these people were alive and dismissed all other inputs being given by others. Today they have proved right and her confidential sources, we do not know what they are, have proved wrong,” she added.

Bajwa said Sushma Swaraj should disclose the sources which formed basis of her earlier claims that the 39 Indians, kidnapped by Islamic State, were alive.

He said the families of those killed should be given adequate compensation and the central government should provide a job to a member of each family.