Nation

New Delhi (August 17,2023) : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been nominated to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, a day after his Lok Sabha membership was restored. Gandhi, who is the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, was disqualified from the House in March 2023 after he was convicted in a defamation case. The Supreme Court stayed his conviction in August 2023, paving the way for his return to Parliament.

Gandhi's nomination to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence is seen as a significant development. The committee is responsible for scrutinizing the defence budget and recommending changes to it. It also has the power to summon officials from the defence ministry to answer questions.

Gandhi's appointment is likely to give the Congress a greater say in matters related to defence. The party has been critical of the government's handling of the defence sector, and Gandhi is expected to use his position on the committee to raise these issues. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence is headed by Jual Oram, a Biju Janata Dal MP from Odisha. The other members of the committee include MPs from the BJP, the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Nationalist Congress Party.

Gandhi's nomination to the committee is likely to be seen as a sign of the Congress's renewed focus on defence. The party is keen to highlight its credentials on national security, and Gandhi's appointment is seen as a way to do this. It remains to be seen how effective Gandhi will be in his new role. However, his appointment is a significant development, and it is likely to have a major impact on the way the defence budget is scrutinized in Parliament.