Rajya Sabha raises alarm over Indian fishermen trapped in Iran conflict

A range of national and international concerns were raised in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, with lawmakers urging immediate government intervention on issues affecting citizens’ welfare and development.

Leading the discussion, M. Thambidurai highlighted the plight of 447 fishermen from Kanyakumari who are currently stranded in Iran due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. He clarified that the fishermen had travelled legally to Iran for fishing-related work with valid passports and are not residents there. With the escalation of hostilities, they are now unable to return to India.

Thambidurai urged the Centre to act swiftly by involving the Indian Embassy in Iran, sending officials to assess the situation on the ground, and ensuring immediate relief in the form of food, clean water, and medical assistance. He also called for an emergency evacuation and repatriation plan to bring the stranded fishermen back safely, stressing that their lives are at risk in a conflict zone.

On another issue, Sanjay Seth pushed for a comprehensive population control law , citing data from the United Nations that places India’s population at 1.42 billion , the highest globally. He argued that high population density is straining resources and limiting the reach of welfare schemes, proposing incentives for smaller families.

Other members raised region-specific and social concerns. Vikramjit Singh Sahney flagged the threat of counterfeit medicines, while Javed Ali Khan called for preserving social harmony and curbing divisive content in the media.

The discussions reflected Parliament’s focus on both urgent humanitarian concerns and long-term policy challenges.