Following announcements by Australia, Canada, and the UK to recognize Palestine as a state, the Congress party criticized the Modi government on Sunday. They stated that India’s policy on Palestine, particularly in the last 20 months, has been shameful and morally cowardly. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra highlighted that India was among the first countries to recognize Palestine as a state in November 1988. She noted that India, during that time, and throughout the Palestinian people’s struggle, demonstrated the right course by upholding the values of humanity and justice on the international stage. Gandhi mentioned that Australia, Canada, and the UK have now followed suit, albeit 37 years later.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh noted that Australia, Canada, and the UK have recognized Palestine as a state, with expectations that other countries will follow. He pointed out that India formally recognized the Palestinian state on November 18, 1988. Ramesh, in a post on X, made a clear reference to the Israel-Hamas conflict, stating that India’s policy regarding Palestine, especially in the past 20 months, has been shameful and morally cowardly. The Congress leaders’ comments came after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that the UK would formally recognize the Palestinian state, despite strong opposition from the US and Israel. The Congress has previously strongly condemned the Modi government’s silence regarding Israel’s actions. Earlier in August, Priyanka Gandhi accused Israel of genocide, criticizing the Indian government for its silence while Israel was ‘destroying’ the Palestinian people. This month, India voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution supporting the ‘New York Declaration,’ which calls for a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue through a two-state solution.
