‘Ashamed that…’: Priyanka Gandhi on India abstaining from UN vote on Gaza humanitarian truce

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday expressed “shock” over India abstaining on a United Nations resolution on the Israel-Hamas war, saying that watching in silence thousands of men, women and children in Palestine being annihilated goes against everything India has stood for.

New Delhi 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 war on Gaza 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.

“I am shocked and ashamed that our country has abstained from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza,” Priyanka Gandhi said.

“Our country was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth, principles for which our freedom fighters laid down their lives, these principles form the basis of the constitution that defines our nationhood,” she said.

“To refuse to take a stand and watch in silence as every law of humanity is pulverized, food, water, medical supplies, communication and power is cut off to millions of people and thousands of men, women and children in Palestine are being annihilated goes against everything our country has stood for throughout its life as a nation,” Priyanka Gandhi said.

The United States and Israel were among the 14 countries that voted against the resolution authored by Jordan.

This vote will be seen as a major shift from India’s self-proclaimed neutral position. Although the vote shows it is neutral, It politically translates into favouring the Western bloc.

UK, Australia, Canada, Ukraine, Japan and Germany— allies of the US — have also abstained from voting.

France has backed the non-binding resolution.

Critics of Modi have been pointing toward India’s shift in bilateral trade with Israel.

In the wake of the Hamas attack on October 7, Modi issued strong declarations in support of Israel.

It took five more days for the Ministry of External Affairs to issue a statement reiterating New Delhi’s position of establishing a “sovereign, independent, and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel”.