Cong to move privilege motion against Swaraj for 'misleading' RS on death of Indians in Iraq

The Congress today decided to move a privilege motion against External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the Rajya Sabha for "misleading" the House on the issue of the death of 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraq's Mosul town in 2014.

Congress MPs Ambika Soni, Pratap Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo said they would move a motion against Swaraj in the Upper House after compiling documents and information on the issue.

They accused Swaraj of misleading the House for four years and dared her to make public the sources who formed the basis of her claims that the 39 Indians kidnapped by ISIS were alive.

"I accuse Sushma Swaraj of misleading the House. The minister's statement in the House is an assurance. She gave an assurance that these people were alive. Our sources have proved right and her confidential sources have proved wrong," Soni told reporters.

She said they were definitely going to bring a privilege motion against the external affairs minister of India for misguiding Parliament and her insensitivity in "playing" with the lives of 39 Indian citizens.

"Whose fault is it, who tried to mislead and keep the issue in deep freeze for four years. It is of the external affairs minister. It is her responsibility," Soni alleged.

Accusing the Central government of trying to suppress the Mosul tragedy, she said it did not talk about it despite several efforts to raise the issue.

"We have continuously tried to raise the issue, but Swaraj always said she cannot share the sources nor any document and always claimed that they are alive. The government's efforts to put a cover on the issue led to misconceptions among the families of the deceased," Soni said, adding, "We have come to know from Iraq that they died at least a year ago, but our government has been so insensitive."