New Delhi:Today, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed “shock” over New Delhi’s abstention on a United Nations resolution regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. She stated that witnessing the annihilation of thousands of men, women, and children in Palestine in silence goes against everything India has stood for.
India on Friday abstained from voting in the UN General Assembly on a Jordanian-drafted resolution titled ‘Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations’ that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza strip.
The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution that called for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.
In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi’s “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” to drive home her point.
Priyanka Gandhi expressed, “I am shocked and ashamed that our country has abstained from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza.”
She emphasized, “Our freedom fighters laid down their lives for the principles of non-violence and truth, which form the foundation of our nation’s establishment. These principles are enshrined in the constitution that defines our nationhood.”
They represent the moral courage of India that guided its actions as a member of the international community, she added.
In her statement, Priyanka Gandhi emphasized that actively witnessing and refusing to take a stand while every law of humanity is being pulverized, cutting off food, water, medical supplies, communication, and power to millions of people, and annihilating thousands of men, women, and children in Palestine, contradicts everything our country has stood for throughout its existence as a nation.
India abstained from the resolution as it did not mention a word about the “terror attacks” carried out by Hamas. The resolution did not even mention Hamas.
India said terrorism is a “malignancy” and knows no borders, nationality or race and the world should not buy into any justification of terror acts, as it abstained on a resolution on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The resolution, which garnered 121 votes in favour, 44 abstentions and 14 member states voting against it, also demanded the immediate, continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip.
The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that more than 7,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict.
Over 1,400 people were killed in the unprecedented terror attacks on Israel by Hamas on October 7. Hamas has held more than 220 people hostage in Gaza. Israel then launched retaliatory strikes.