Thiruvananthapuram, March 31 Congress leader Manish Tewari accused the Centre and the Left Front in Kerala on Tuesday of remaining silent on the "volatile" situation in West Asia and the "aggressive actions" of the US against various sovereign nations around the world.
Speaking at a press conference here, Tewari said that the "silence" of the central government and the Left on issues such as accepting regime change through coercive methods or the abduction and assassination of heads of sovereign states was "deafening."
He said that the opposition in Parliament has been demanding a discussion on these issues, but the central government is not ready for it.
Even the Left Front, "which is usually vocal on questions of international relations," is very quiet, he claimed.
Tewari further said that there is a serious energy crisis in the country and in Kerala due to the conflict in West Asia and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the Centre is not giving a clear picture of the situation to citizens and merely says that everything is fine, he alleged.
As a result of the West Asia conflict, the availability of LPG cylinders has decreased, and the prices of petrol and diesel are "at an all-time high," he claimed.
He added that imports of nitrogen-based fertilizers from Gulf nations have also been affected, noting that such fertilizers account for 49 per cent of India's agricultural sector. "But the central government is in complete denial on these issues," he alleged.
Tewari also referred to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill and said that he had opposed it the moment it was tabled in Parliament.
"It is draconian, authoritarian, and tramples upon the fundamental principles of law and natural justice. There is a great deal of concern regarding the provisions of the Bill," he said.
The Congress leader assured that the opposition would strongly oppose the Bill when it comes up for discussion.
He also said that the opposition will endeavour to refer the Bill to a joint parliamentary committee or a similar body so that there can be a "thorough discussion" of its provisions.