Dharma Sansad or Supreme Court?
With elections fast approaching, many parties have remembered Sri Rama out of the blue. Lakhs of people do not have a roof over their heads. Scores of workers and farmers have come to streets with demonetization. Economy is in doldrums with unemployment shooting up. Those who occupied the power corridors with the assurance of Acche Din, gave us the most horrendous days ever. This time around, Modi and his party know the ‘development mantra’ they used last time to win elections, may not work again.
Hence, BJP now thinks of Sri Rama. They are telling people that ‘acche din’ can come only when the Ram Mandir is built. Slogans are resonating on the street pressing for Ram Mandir. Ironically, BJP is in power in UP and demanding Ram Mandir. Who is this protest against? Earlier, UPA government was in power in the country and a protest would mean it was against the dispensation. But now, a protest by Hindutva elements would mean a protest against their own party! BJP which is chanting the Rama Mantra now think people of the country are fools?
Recently, a mega meeting of Dharma Sansad was held and participation of people was less than expected. Significantly, Shiv Sena which was in the forefront of the meeting. This has led to a big question now as to who would be using the ‘Hindutva’ keyword in the upcoming elections. Shiv Sena is a party that is with the BJP, and yet criticizes the latter in the most scathing terms. Uddhav Thackeray is very upset that the BJP government in coalition with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra has not given due credit to the former. There is also a fear of BJP completely consuming the Shiv Sena in the due course. Both parties have been seeking votes in the name of Hindutva. Shiva Sena is losing grounds in Maharashtra for various reasons such as the effect of Bal Thackeray waning with his demise, and Modi effect on their coalition. Hence, Sena needs to assert itself to stand on its own feet.
So in order to survive and cause enough embarrassment to BJP, Sena is speaking in high pitch on Ram Mandir construction. BJP cannot take to streets on this issue since its own party is in power in both the centre and state. Hence, Sena has spoken about this even before the elections are announced, and BJP uses it as first strike advantage. Ram is being juxtaposed against the BJP for the same reason. Even BJP understands this game Sena is playing and has already declared latter has nothing to do with building the Mandir. According to the BJP, Sena never fought for Mandir and had Thackrey been alive, he would have stayed away from Dharma Sansad. The party has already mocked its coalition partner Sena.
BJP has differences of opinion with VHP chief Praveen Togadia as well. He has held an open press conference and accused the Modi Government of plotting his murder. VHP had a prime role to play in Ram Mandir issue. After having used Parishad to usurp power, BJP has forgotten them completely say the VHP leaders. Some VHP leaders have decided to romp up the Ram Mandir issue against the BJP now. Their plan is to get BJP into a tricky situation. This does not mean all of them are against the BJP, but only that VHP and Sena are blackmailing their political partner. They know an election fought without Ram is a lost cause. And for VHP to join hands with BJP, some assurances need to be fulfilled by the BJP. Sena needs to be given its share of space in coalition. Or else, Sena is going to use the trump card of Mandir against the very BJP. If all these are met, they’ll come together to seek votes in the name or Ram for the next elections. Else, Sena and VHP will turn into major challenges for the partner BJP. But looks like RSS will ensure that the issues don’t get complicated to that extent.
Though the fight looks like this is against the government, the whole thing is pitted against the judiciary. Supporters are indicating Dharma Sansad is more important than the Supreme Court. If they win in this, constitution would lose. And what would democracy mean without the constitution? The next elections stands on a moot point of which one is significant to us, whether it is the Dharma Sansad or the Supreme Court. The country’s future rests on this.
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US vetoes Palestinian bid to gain statehood at the United Nations
United Nations, Apr 19: The US has vetoed a resolution in the UN Security Council on the latest Palestinian bid to be granted full membership of the United Nations, an outcome lauded by Israel but criticised by Palestine as “unfair, immoral, and unjustified".
The 15-nation Council voted on a draft resolution Thursday that would have recommended to the 193-member UN General Assembly “that the State of Palestine be admitted to membership in the United Nations.”
The resolution got 12 votes in its favour, with Switzerland and the UK abstaining and the US casting its veto.
To be adopted, the draft resolution required at least nine Council members voting in its favour, with no vetoes by any of its five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Palestinian attempts for recognition as a full member state began in 2011. Palestine is currently a non-member observer state, a status that was granted in November 2012 by the UN General Assembly.
This status allows Palestine to participate in proceedings of the world body but it cannot vote on resolutions. The only other non-member Observer State at the UN is the Holy See, representing the Vatican.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz praised the US for vetoing what he called a “shameful proposal.”
“The proposal to recognise a Palestinian state, more than 6 months after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and after the sexual crimes and other atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists was a reward for terrorism”, Katz wrote on X, after the US veto.
US Ambassador Robert Wood, Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs, said in the explanation of the vote at the Security Council meeting on Palestinian membership that Washington continues to strongly support a two-state solution.
“It remains the US view that the most expeditious path toward statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners,” he said.
“This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgement that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties.”
Wood said there are “unresolved questions” as to whether Palestine meets the criteria to be considered a State.
“We have long called on the Palestinian Authority to undertake necessary reforms to help establish the attributes of readiness for statehood and note that Hamas - a terrorist organisation - is currently exerting power and influence in Gaza, an integral part of the state envisioned in this resolution,” he said, adding that “For these reasons, the United States voted “no” on this Security Council resolution.”
Wood noted that since the October 7 attacks last year against Israel by Hamas, US President Joe Biden has been clear that sustainable peace in the region can only be achieved through a two-state solution, with Israel’s security guaranteed.
"There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and future as a democratic Jewish state. There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live in peace and with dignity in a state of their own. And there is no other path that leads to regional integration between Israel and all its Arab neighbours, including Saudi Arabia,” he said.
The Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, sharply criticised the US veto, saying that it was “unfair, immoral, and unjustified, and defies the will of the international community, which strongly supports the State of Palestine obtaining full membership in the United Nations.”
Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, said that “our right to self-determination has never once been subject to bargaining or negotiation.
“Our right to self-determination is a natural right, a historic right, a legal right. A right to live in our homeland Palestine as an independent state that is free and that is sovereign. Our right to self-determination is inalienable...,” he said.
Getting emotional and choking up as he made the remarks, Mansour said that a majority of the Council members “have risen to the level of this historic moment” and have stood “on the side of justice, freedom and hope.”
He asserted that Palestine’s admission as a full member of the UN is an “investment in peace.”
On April 2, 2024, Palestine again sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres requesting that its application for full UN membership be considered again.
For a State to be granted full UN membership, its application must be approved both by the Security Council and the General Assembly, where a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting is required for the State to be admitted as a full member.
Earlier in the day, Guterres, in his remarks to a Council meeting on the Middle East, warned that the region is on a “knife edge”.
“Recent escalations make it even more important to support good-faith efforts to find lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state,” Guterres said.
“Failure to make progress towards a two-state solution will only increase volatility and risk for hundreds of millions of people across the region, who will continue to live under the constant threat of violence,” he said.
The UN, citing the Ministry of Health in Gaza, said that between October 7 last year and April 17, at least 33,899 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 76,664 Palestinians injured. Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 33 children, have been killed in Israel, the vast majority on October 7.
As of April 17, Israeli authorities estimate that 133 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, including fatalities whose bodies are withheld.
