Jaswant slams govt for not protesting US position on Syria

Amid possibility of a US military strike on Syria, senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh today accused the West of becoming police of global peace and slammed the government for not protesting such moves which have no UN sanction.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, he said while civil wars are "brutally uncivil", no country should be allowed to don the role of global policeman without the sanction of the United Nations.

Singh said it was time the government spoke in a stronger and sounder voice against policing by the West.

He said while Syria faces threat of attack from the US, the issue has not been raised either by the government or by any member in the lower house so far.

Terming Great Britain as 'Little Britain', he criticised the statement of its Prime Minister David Cameron for his statement that he has consulted his Indian counterpart over action against Syria.

The former External Affairs Minister said the British High Commission later termed the mention of India in Cameron's statement as an "innocent mistake." He said such words were new to the language of diplomacy.

Referring to the stand of the Indian government, he said External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid was "affable, but not so able." Khurshid, who was present in the House, was seen smiling.

He said the US has turned parts of Asia into desert after it entered the continent first in Korea decades ago.

Several members from the opposition benches were seen supporting him.

As BJP members rose demanding a statement from the government, Khurshid left the House. This prompted BJP members to oppose his "attitude" on Syria.