New Delhi: A political slugfest has broken out after India abstained from a vote at the UN General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian truce in the war between Israel and Hamas. While the Congress has expressed shock over India not lending support to the resolution, the government has reiterated that the draft resolution had no mention of Hamas and the country will always condemn terrorism.
At an emergency UNGA session today, 193 member nations voted on a draft resolution calling for an end of hostilities in the Gaza Strip which began on October 7 when Hamas killed 1,400 Israelis in a surprise attack. Israel launched a massive counter-offensive and has been relentlessly bombing the Gaza Strip and has also cut off their access to basic supplies like food, internet and fuel.
The UNGA resolution, submitted by Jordan, was overwhelmingly adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour, 14 against it, and 45 abstaining.
Besides India, countries that abstained included Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine and the UK. India at the assembly said that the Hamas attack on Israel should be condemned and there should be a clear message against terrorism.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed "shock", saying that watching in silence thousands of men, women, and children in Palestine being annihilated goes against everything India has stood for.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi said "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, and added that refusing to take a stand goes against everything the country has stood for as a nation."
Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi hit back saying that India will never be on the side of terrorism.
"For those who are “ashamed and shocked”, must realise that India will NEVER be on the side of terrorism," he said on X.
"Priyanka Ji, you should first educate yourself on things that are put out from your X account. Looks like people, who have no idea of Congress's past positions on the situation, are advising you. What is worse is that in an attempt to make you look ‘better' than Rahul, they are making you look silly," the former union minister added.
The adoption of the Jordanian resolution is the first formal response of the United Nations to the escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine since the Hamas terror attacks of October 7.
The voting at UNGA comes at a time when Israel has announced expanding ground operations in Gaza.
Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar also slammed India's stand saying that this was a "shift in India's policy" as the country has "never supported the Israeli cause". This is not the first time Sharad Pawar has criticised the Centre since the Israel-Hamas conflict escalated.
His remarks have been sharply criticised by several BJP leaders, including Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.