New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi on Friday in Lok Sabha said that declaring any organisation as terrorist organisation is considered as per the provisions of the Act by the relevant government departments. In a written reply to a question by Kerala MP Kumbakudi Sudhakaran on whether the government has any proposal to declare Hamas as a terrorist organisation in India and whether the Government of Israel has raised any demand to the Government of India to declare Hamas as a terrorist organisation, Meenakshi Lekhi said, "Designation of an organisation as terrorist organisation is covered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and declaring any organisation as terrorist organisation is considered as per the provisions of the Act by the relevant government departments".
The reply came in the wake of the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict. At least 1,200 people died on the Israeli side during the Hamas October 7 attack. According to sources, the United Nations said 1.87 million people have been driven from their homes since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, triggered by the deadly October 7 Hamas assault.