The Congress party has launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, criticizing its stance on Palestine after Australia, Canada, and the UK announced their recognition of Palestine as a state. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress General Secretary, condemned India’s policy as shameful and morally cowardly, particularly over the last 20 months. She emphasized India’s historical recognition of Palestine as a state in November 1988, highlighting the country’s early commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause. Gandhi emphasized that India set an example by standing for what was right and upholding human values on the global platform. She acknowledged the recent actions of Australia, Canada, and the UK, who have adopted the same stance after a significant delay.
Jairam Ramesh, another Congress leader, noted the formal recognition of Palestine by Australia, Canada, and the UK, expecting further recognition from other nations. He mentioned India’s early recognition of Palestine on November 18, 1988. Ramesh criticized India’s recent policy regarding Palestine, referring to the Israel-Hamas conflict, describing it as shameful and morally cowardly. The comments were made in response to the UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s confirmation of formal recognition of the Palestinian state, despite objections from the US and Israel. The Congress has voiced strong criticism against the Modi government for its silence on Israel’s actions. Furthermore, in August, Priyanka Gandhi had accused Israel of committing genocide and criticized the Indian government for its inaction. Recently, India voted in favor of a UN resolution supporting the ‘New York Declaration,’ which promotes a two-state solution for the Palestinian issue.