Humanitarian crisis caused by Israel-Hamas conflict unacceptable: Indian Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj
United Nations, Apr 9: India termed the UN Security Council resolution that demanded immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan a "positive step," asserting that the humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict is "simply unacceptable."
"We are deeply troubled by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The humanitarian crisis has deepened and instability has been increasing in the region and beyond," India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, told a UN General Assembly meeting here Monday.
She said India views the adoption of a resolution on March 25 by the UN Security Council "as a positive step."
Kamboj said the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to a large-scale loss of civilian lives, especially women and children.
"The resulting humanitarian crisis is simply unacceptable," she said, adding that Delhi has strongly condemned the deaths of civilians in the conflict and it is imperative to avoid the loss of civilian lives in any conflict situation.
The UNSC resolution, adopted last month, demanded an "immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire."
It also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as the humanitarian access to address their medical and other humanitarian needs. The adoption of the resolution had come as a breakthrough in the Israel-Hamas conflict which had been on for more than five months then.
The 15-nation Council adopted the resolution, put forth by the 10 non-permanent elected members of the Council, with 14 nations voting in favour, none against, and an abstention by the US, a permanent member.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had said that the "long-awaited" resolution on Gaza must be implemented. "Failure would be unforgivable."
However, on March 22, just three days before the Council adopted the resolution, permanent members Russia and China vetoed a different resolution on Gaza tabled by the US. The US-led draft had stated the "imperative" for "an immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides."
The veto by Beijing and Moscow triggered the debate in the General Assembly under the requirement that the President of the 193-member UN body will convene a meeting within 10 working days whenever a veto is cast in the Council.
Kamboj underlined that India's position on the conflict has been clearly articulated on several occasions by the country’s leadership.
She said there can be no justification for terror attacks or hostage taking and stressed that the terror attacks on Israel on October 7 last year were shocking and deserve "our unequivocal condemnation."
"India has a long-standing and uncompromising position against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and we demand the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," Kamboj said.
India voiced its concern over the "dire" humanitarian situation in Gaza and underlined the imperative for the scaling up of humanitarian aid to the people in the strip immediately in order to avert a further deterioration in the situation.
Kamboj welcomed efforts of the United Nations and the international community in working towards peace in the region.
She noted that India has provided humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine and "will continue to do so."
Indian leaders have repeatedly emphasised that only a two-state solution achieved through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides on final status issues will deliver an enduring peace.
"We are committed to supporting a two-state solution where the Palestinian people are able to live freely in an independent country within secure borders with due regard to the security needs of Israel," Kamboj said and urged all parties to foster conditions conducive to resuming direct peace negotiations at an early date.
Citing the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that in the six months between October 7, 2023 and the afternoon of April 8, at least 33,207 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 75,933 injured.
According to the Government Media Office in Gaza, fatalities include about 14,500 children and 9,560 women.
More than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 33 children, have been killed in Israel, the vast majority on October 7 last year, when Hamas carried out the shocking attacks against Israel.
President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis expressed deep regret that the General Assembly must routinely meet on the veto initiative "due to the perennial inability of the Security Council to speak with one voice on matters of grave importance."
"Once again, we convene under this initiative as conflict in Gaza rages into its sixth bloody month, as death and destruction rule the day, and as divisions among Member States, especially in the Council, persist," he said.
Francis described the conflict in Gaza as “blight on our common humanity."
With Ramadan ending on April 9, Francis said millions around the world will celebrate the religious holiday Eid-al-Fitr in the safety of their homes "while Gazans will again offer prayers on the ruins of mosques and their obliterated homes."
"I implore the Security Council members to meaningfully use their power in support of an immediate – and importantly, a lasting ceasefire on the ground,” he said.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
