MPs have their own wishlist for Obama
Members of Parliament (MPs) have expressed their wish list of issues, which they want to hear from US President Barak Obama when he address them on November 8. Many of the MPs feel that Mr Obama must support India’s rightful claim to a permanent seat in the UN Security Council and he should mention this in his speech.
With the issue becoming a hot topic of discussion among the Parliamentarians, former Union minister and Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed said, “Mr Obama’s support to India’s claim to a permanent seat in the UN Security Council is at the top of my wish list.”
Putting across his expectation, AIADM MP Maitreyan said, “We expect the US President to be forthright in condemning cross-border terrorism.” Dr Ahmed too agreed to Mr Maitreyan’s view.
Dr Ahmed hoped that the mutual understanding between the two countries and the resolve to fight against terrorism would be strengthened with Mr Obama’s speech in Parliament and visit to the country. Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Singhvi, however, sounded a note of caution saying, “It is important not to raise expectations beyond reality and equally to work solidly for concrete results.”
According to the Congress MP, the US has to become an ally and supporter of New Delhi but on India’s independent and non-alignment terms. For Samajwadi Party general secretary Mohan Singh, India’s security concerns should be paramount. “The US should address the security concerns of India during Obama’s address as Pakistan and China were encircling the sub-continent. The Indian IT industry was being harassed in the US by imposition of heavy taxes and we want Mr Obama to address the issue,” he said.
BJP MP Prakash Javadekar said, his party valued the friendship and ties with the US. “We hope he also reciprocates,” he said.
The BJP leader hoped that Mr Obama would take a “proper view” of India-China-Pak dynamics. The US President, he said, should address India’s concerns on the issue of fight against terrorism as US aid to Pakistan is being “misused” by the neighbouring country.
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