Cong condemns Israel's plan to take over Gaza, questions Modi govt's silence
New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI): The Congress on Friday condemned Israel for its plans to occupy Gaza City, saying it is not just an assault on the people of Palestine but on humanity, even as it questioned the silence of the Modi government on the issue.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said, "The prime minister and his government have been demonstrating extreme moral cowardice during the genocide that has been in stark evidence in Gaza over the past eighteen months."
Noting that Israel is now all set to take over Gaza City, to begin with, Ramesh said, "This move has been widely criticised. But Mr Modi and the external affairs minister continue to remain totally silent."
"The Indian National Congress condemns in the strongest possible terms Israel's latest plans in Gaza. It is an assault not just on the Palestinian people, but on humanity itself," Ramesh added.
The condemnation came after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet approved plans to takeover Gaza City in the Palestinian enclave by a majority vote overnight.
The security cabinet approved the plan as part of a five-point aim primarily to "disarm" Hamas, a decision that triggered fears of further escalation in the nearly two-year long war in the region.
The Israeli authorities have given five objectives for its actions -- disarming Hamas; returning all hostages taken by the group on October 7, 2023; demilitarising the Gaza Strip; taking security control of the territory; and establishing “an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority”.
The Prime Minister and his government have been demonstrating extreme moral cowardice during the genocide that has been in stark evidence in Gaza over the past eighteen months.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 8, 2025
Israel is now all set to occupy Gaza city-- to begin with. This move has been widely criticised. But…
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Women BJP MLAs protest against opposition in UP assembly premises
Lucknow (PTI): Women BJP MLAs held a protest in the Vidhan Bhawan complex before the one-day special session of Uttar Pradesh assembly, slamming the opposition for defeating the passage of a bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Law, in the Lok Sabha.
This followed another demonstration by Samajwadi Party MLAs, who alleged that the BJP was misleading public in the name of women's reservation.
The women BJP legislators assembled in front of Chaudhary Charan Singh's statue in the assembly premises, holding banners inscribed with the slogan "Insult to Matrushakti (women's power), India will not tolerate it". The protesting members entered the main hall of Vidhan Bhawan carrying the banners.
Participating in the protest, the state Minister for Women Welfare and Child Development, Baby Rani Maurya, told reporters that all opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, had opposed the women's reservation, a stance for which they would have to pay a heavy political price.
"On this issue, all of us women stand united. We will ensure that we secure our reservation," she said.
BJP MLA Ketki Singh remarked that their protest represents the collective outrage of millions of women across the state.
Singh asserted that the opposition has betrayed women by creating hurdles in the path of women's reservation. The current demonstration is merely the beginning, and very soon, women from every street, intersection and household will join the protest movement, she said.
Minister Vijaylakshmi Gautam said, "We strongly condemn the despicable act committed by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in an attempt to hold back 'half the population' (women). Their action was directed against the very bill that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced to empower and strengthen Nari Shakti (women's power), and which he strived to pass expeditiously."
Uttar Pradesh assembly is holding a one-day special session on Thursday. During the session, the government is set to move a censure motion against the opposition parties over their failure to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, in the Lok Sabha.
