BJP ally JD(U) joins Opposition leaders in urging centre to halt arms supply to Israel
New Delhi: The Janata Dal (United), a key ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, has joined Opposition leaders in calling on the Indian government to cease the supply of arms and ammunition to Israel amidst its ongoing conflict with Gaza. The appeal was led by JD(U) General Secretary KC Tyagi, who, along with other Opposition leaders, met with Mohammed Makram Balawi, Secretary General of the League of Parliamentarians for Al Quds, in Delhi on Sunday.
The League of Parliamentarians for Al Quds is an independent institution that coordinates global parliamentary efforts in support of the Palestinian cause, in line with United Nations resolutions and efforts to maintain peace in West Asia.
Tyagi said that the JD(U) has historically supported the Palestinian cause, a stance echoed by the Indian government, including during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He stressed the importance of ending the violence against civilians in Gaza and upholding UN resolutions related to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Following the meeting, Tyagi and other leaders issued a joint statement urging the Union government to refrain from supplying arms to Israel. The statement condemned the "Zionist aggression and the heinous genocide of the Palestinian people" and asserted that India's complicity in the conflict would be contrary to its longstanding commitment to justice and human rights.
The signatories of the statement include Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Javed Ali Khan, Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal, and other prominent figures from various political parties.
Reports have surfaced earlier this year suggesting that India may have been supplying drones and other military equipment to Israel, although the government has neither confirmed nor denied these claims. This issue has drawn international attention, particularly following Spain's refusal to allow an Israel-bound ship carrying arms from Chennai to dock at its port in line with its ban on arms exports to Israel since the conflict began.
The ongoing conflict escalated on October 7 when Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, resulting in significant casualties. In response, Israel has conducted extensive air and ground strikes on Gaza, leading to widespread devastation and a significant loss of life.
India has traditionally supported a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, advocating for direct negotiations aimed at establishing a sovereign and independent state of Palestine coexisting peacefully alongside Israel.
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Illegally stored gas cylinders seized
Thane (PTI): Authorities have seized illegally stored 1,839 gas cylinders and seven vehicles worth over Rs 67 lakh in the Dombivli MIDC area of Thane district, officials said on Saturday.
A special vigilance team of the Mumbai Rationing Department detected an illegal storage of domestic and commercial LPG cylinders in Phase-2 of Dombivli (East).
Cylinders belonging to multiple gas agencies were found stockpiled in closed vehicles, unauthorised warehouses, and open sheds without mandatory permissions from the Explosives Department, Fire Department, or oil companies, according to an official release.
