Name of wrong minister mentioned: Clarifies MEA after MoS Meenakashi Lekhi said she didn’t sign an answer that appeared with her name on Sansad website

The Ministry of External Affairs clarified on Saturday that a question on the Sansad website being shown under the name of Union Minister of State, Meenakashi Lekhi needs ‘technical correction’ and instead be attributed to MoS V Muraleedharan.

The matter pertains to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 980 from Friday regarding the declaration of Hamas as a ‘terrorist organization’.

“We have noted that Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 980 answered on 8 December 2023 needs a technical correction in terms of reflecting Shri V. Muraleedharan as the Minister of State replying to the Parliament Question. This is being suitably undertaken,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in an official statement.

This comes after MoS Lekhi denied signing any paper with the question regarding the declaration of Hamas as a terrorist organization.

“You have been misinformed as I have not signed any paper with this question and this answer,” Lekhi stated on X (formerly Twitter) in reply to a post citing the report.

Later, in a press conference on Saturday, Lekhi also clarified about not signing any such paper and said that she has asked for an inquiry into the matter.

“I would like to clarify that I have not signed any paper regarding that question. I have tagged PMO and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar regarding the breach. I have also called the Foreign Secretary and asked for an investigation and action should be taken against those responsible,” the MoS stated.

She added, “It has to be found out who committed this from the MEA without the signature of the concerned minister. I hope that there will be a prompt inquiry into the matter”.


(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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