Bengaluru for Justice and Peace urges MP Priyanka Gandhi to push Congress for arms embargo on Israel
Bengaluru: Bengaluru for Justice and Peace, a local citizens’ group, has written to Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, urging her to press the Indian National Congress (INC) to pass a resolution calling for a complete arms embargo on Israel.
In the letter, the group welcomed Priyanka Gandhi’s recent remarks condemning the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza. In a post on X earlier in the day, Priyanka described the killings as a “cold blooded murder” and “yet another heinous crime committed on Palestinian soil.” She said the “immeasurable courage” of those who “dare to stand for the truth” would never be broken by “the violence and hatred of the Israeli state.”
She also said that “in a world where much of the media is enslaved to power and commerce, these brave souls reminded us of what true journalism is,” and expressed hope that the journalists would “rest in peace.” According to Al Jazeera, the journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, were killed in what it described as a targeted Israeli strike on a tent housing reporters near Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital.
In their letter, the Bengaluru group noted that while her statements were timely, stronger action was needed. They urged her to push the Congress party to pass a resolution for a total ban on the export and transit of weapons, weapon components, and dual-use items to Israel. Direct the Karnataka state government to review and suspend contracts, grants, and schemes linked to Israeli defence companies and exports.
The group criticised Karnataka Congress leaders for attending pro-Israel events and fostering collaborations with Israeli officials and companies, citing examples such as Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao attending the “Haifa Memorial Lectures” in September 2024, and meetings between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Israeli consular officials announcing joint ventures.
The Bengaluru-based group had written to the INC last year after the Karnataka Deputy CM attended and facilitated the India-Israel Business Summit at IISc Bengaluru.
On August 6, the group wrote to Members of Parliament highlighting ties between nine Bengaluru-based companies and three Israeli arms manufacturers, Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The companies named were Ace Inotec Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd., Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Alpha-Elsec Aerospace Systems, Amphenol Interconnect India Pvt. Ltd., Amphetronix Offset Interconnect Solutions Pvt. Ltd., DCX Systems Ltd., Defsys Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Indo-MIM Pvt. Ltd., SASMOS HET Technologies Ltd., and Wave Mechanics Pvt. Ltd.
The letter accused the companies of being complicit in the genocide of Palestinians and warned that India’s legacy of solidarity with Palestine was in danger. It urged MPs to support an arms embargo on Israel and cited Article 51 of the Indian Constitution, the Genocide Convention, and other legal frameworks as grounds for action.
The cold blooded murder of five Al Jazeera journalists is yet another heinous crime committed on Palestinian soil.
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 12, 2025
The immeasurable courage of those who dare to stand for the truth will never be broken by the violence and hatred of the Israeli state.
In a world where much of…
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Dalai Lama says Grammy win reflects shared responsibility, not personal achievement
Dharamshala (PTI): Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Monday said his Grammy Award win was not a personal achievement but a recognition of a shared universal responsibility.
The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, won his first Grammy in the category of best audio book, narration, and storytelling recording for his spoken-word album, Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, at the 68th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
He edged out other nominees, including Kathy Garver for Elvis Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story, Trevor Noah for Into The Uncut Grass, Ketanji Brown Jackson for Lovely One: A Memoir and Fab Morvan for You Know It's True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli.
Reacting to the prestigious international recognition, the Dalai Lama expressed gratitude and humility, saying he did not view the award as a personal achievement.
"I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility. I don't see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility," the Dalai Lama said.
"I firmly believe that peace, compassion, care for our environment, and an understanding of the oneness of humanity are essential for the collective well-being of all eight billion human beings. I am grateful that this Grammy recognition can help spread these messages more widely," he said.
