![\"Congress](\"https:\/\/c.ndtvimg.com\/2023-10\/hh36esso_israel-gaza-violence_625x300_10_October_23.jpg\"\/ "\\"Congress")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNew Delhi: <\/b><\/p>\n
The war between Israel<\/a> and the Hamas<\/a> – in which over 1,600 people have died so far<\/a> and more than two lakh displaced – has spawned a political row in India after the Congress released a statement expressing the party’s “long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people”.\u00a0<\/p>\n The BJP, which has set out its stall in support of Israel, hit out at the communique and accused the opposition party of supporting terrorism and being a “hostage to minority vote bank politics”.<\/p>\n On Monday the Congress Working Committee, the party’s highest-decision making body, expressed its “dismay and anguish” over the war and underlined its support of the Palestinian peoples’ right to “land (and) self-government, and to live with dignity and respect”.<\/p>\n “Congress’s CWC resolution on Israel war is a classic example of how Indian foreign policy was hostage to Congress’s minority vote bank politics, until Modi happened,” BJP MP Tejasvi Surya responded on X.<\/p>\n “… reminder on how quickly things will go back to zero if we aren’t vigilant in 2024,” the firebrand MP continued, taking a swipe at the Congress ahead of next year’s election.<\/p>\n Congress’s CWC resolution on Israel war is a classic example of how Indian foreign policy was hostage to Congress’s minority vote bank politics, until Modi happened.<\/p>\n Also, a reminder on how quickly things will go back to zero if we aren’t vigilant in 2024. https:\/\/t.co\/nJYk3mDCwq<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) October 9, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sources have now said the Congress’ statement highlights divisions within the party, and that the section on the Israel-Hamas war had not been well-received by all those at the CWC meeting.<\/p>\n Sources also suggested the inclusion of that section in the statement was a major sticking point and that it was not part of the original draft. It is unclear how it came to be released.\u00a0<\/p>\n Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had particularly not wanted it included in a resolution that was to focus on the party’s position on the caste census.<\/p>\n The statement that was to be released was a pre-election resolution saying the Congress, if voted to power next year, will conduct a national caste census and implement a quota for other backward classes, or OBCs, in the women’s reservation bill that was passed last month.<\/p>\n READ | <\/strong>Hamas Outmaneuvered Israel’s Surveillance Prowess By Going Dark<\/a><\/p>\n The disagreement over the war in the Middle East was over the Congress not mentioning acts of terror by Hamas fighters who crossed the border into Israel and went on a murderous spree, including slaughtering nearly 300 people at a music festival and killing children and elderly.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Congress’ statement on Palestine – whether or not it was meant to be released – comes days after the BJP shared a video montage of terror attacks on Indian soil to attack the Congress.<\/p>\n “What Israel is facing today, India suffered between 2004-14. Never forgive, never forget…”<\/p>\n What Israel is facing today, India suffered between 2004-14. Never forgive, never forget\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/QJsit0KZab<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\n