Shashi Tharoor's "Well Done" As India Abstained From This UN Vote

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday applauded India's abstention from the vote in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on a resolution that exempts humanitarian aid efforts from sanctions.

Taking to social media, Tharoor expressed his total agreement with India's reservations which led to its abstention and added that one need not have to look far across the border for evidence to substantiate what India's top ambassador to UN Ruchira Kamboj said in her statement.

"While understanding the humanitarian concerns behind the resolution, I agree fully with India's reservations that prompted its abstention. We don't have to look far across the border for evidence to substantiate @ruchirakamboj's words. Well done, @IndiaUNNewYork @DrSJaishankar," Tharoor tweeted.

The draft resolution to exempt humanitarian aid efforts from sanctions and presented by the US and Ireland, was adopted by 14 members of the 15-member Council.

In the explanation of vote, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj said that India's concerns were triggered by proven instances of terrorist groups including Pakistan-based terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed "taking full advantage of such humanitarian carve-outs and making a mockery of sanctions regimes."

Kamboj said "There have been several cases of terrorist groups in our neighbourhood, reincarnating themselves as humanitarian organizations and civil society groups precisely to evade the sanctions. These terrorist organizations use the umbrella of the humanitarian assistance space to raise funds and recruit fighters."

In a subliminal reference to Pakistan, Kamboj continued, "India will call for caution and due diligence be used when providing humanitarian aid to groups that are prohibited under UN Security Council Resolution 1267, who continue to thrive with full state hospitality in territories universally acknowledged by the international community as terrorist havens."

UNSC approved the resolution exempting humanitarian aid from all current and future UN sanctions regimes, a vote the United States hailed as "historic" that will save lives and address longstanding problems of sanctions impeding aid deliveries.

The draft resolution was adopted-14 votes in favour, zero against and one absentation.

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