For first time, India votes against Russia in UNSC during procedural vote on Ukraine
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Washington (PTI): India for the first time on Wednesday voted against Russia during a procedural vote at the United Nations Security Council on Ukraine, as the 15-member powerful UN body invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address a meeting through a video tele-conference.
This is for the first time that India has voted against Russia on the issue of Ukraine, after the Russian military action began in February. So far, New Delhi has abstained at the UN Security Council on Ukraine, much to the annoyance of the Western powers led by the United States.
Western nations, including the US, have imposed major economic and other sanctions on Russia following the aggression.
India has not criticised Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. New Delhi has repeatedly called upon the Russian and Ukrainian sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue, and also expressed its support for all diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between the two countries.
India currently is a non-permanent member of the UNSC for a two-year term, which ends in December.
On Wednesday, the UNSC held a meeting to take stock of the now six-month-old conflict on the 31st anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
As the meeting began, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily A Nebenzia requested a procedural vote concerning Ukrainian President's participation in the meeting by video tele-conference.
Following statements by him and Ferit Hoxha of Albania, the Council extended an invitation to Zelensky to participate in the meeting via video tele-conference by a vote of 13 in favour to one against. Russia voted against such an invitation, while China abstained.
Nebenzia insisted that Russia does not oppose Zelensky's participation, but such participation must be in-person. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council decided to work virtually, but such meetings were informal and, after the pandemic's peak, the Council returned to the provisional rules of procedure, he argued.
Reiterating that his country's objection pertains specifically to the President's participation by video tele-conference, he called for a procedural vote on this matter, to which India and 12 other countries did not agree and supported Zelensky to address the Council via video conference.
Albania's Hoxha argued that Ukraine is at war, and the situation in that country requires the President to be there. Due to this unique situation, he supported Zelensky's participation via video tele-conference and urged other members to do the same.
Nebenzia regretted that Council members had spoken out against complying with the rules of the organ. We can understand the logic of Kyiv's Western backers , he said, expressing disappointment that other members contributed to the erosion of the Council's very foundation and practices.
Soon thereafter, Zelensky in his remarks via a video conference called for the Russian Federation to be held accountable for its crimes of aggression against Ukraine. "If Moscow is not stopped now, then all these Russian murderers will inevitably end up in other countries, he said.
It is on the territory of Ukraine that the world's future will be decided, he added. Our independence is your security, he told the UNSC.
Zelensky alleged that Russia has placed the world on the brink of nuclear catastrophe by turning the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant into a war zone. The plant has six reactors only one exploded at Chernobyl and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must take permanent control of the situation as soon as possible, he said.
The Ukrainian President called on Russia to cease its nuclear blackmail and completely withdraw from the plant.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern over the situation in and around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, underscoring that the warning lights are flashing .
Any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the plant are unacceptable, and any further escalation of the situation could lead to self-destruction, he said and called for the security of the plant to be ensured, for the facility to be re-established as purely civilian infrastructure and for the IAEA to conduct a mission to the site as soon as possible.
Guterres also expressed concern over alleged violations of international humanitarian law.
US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield alleged that "Russia's goal is as clear as ever: to dismantle Ukraine as a geopolitical entity and erase it from the world map.
Its disinformation campaigns are increasingly being weaponised to prepare for further attempts to annex Ukrainian territory, she said.
However, the international community will never recognise Russia's attempt to change Ukraine's borders by force, she told the UN Security Council.
Noting that Ukraine had an impeccable record of nuclear energy safety and security at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, she said the Russian Federation recklessly attacked and seized control of that site by force, risking nuclear disaster.
The American envoy voiced concern about Moscow's so-called filtration operation , which involves the systematic and forced deportation of Ukrainian civilians to remote areas of the Russian Federation.
Envoys from France, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom, Gabon, Ghana, Mexico and China, along with the European Union in its capacity as observers also spoke on the occasion.
Ukraine celebrated its Independence Day on Wednesday, which also marked exactly six months since the start of Russia's military offensive against the country on February 24.
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TVK chief should be given opportunity to prove majority in TN Assembly: Omar
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said there was no justification for the Tamil Nadu governor to stop TVK leader Vijay from forming the government, and he should be provided an opportunity to prove majority in the assembly.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday rejected TVK chief Vijay's claim to form the government, stating that his party lacks the requisite numbers.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has fallen short of meeting a simple majority to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Though the Congress with five MLAs has offered support to TVK, Vijay's party falls short of a simple majority of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Abdullah said there was no justification for President's rule in Tamil Nadu in view of numerous Supreme Court judgements emphasising on inviting the single largest party to form the government and then prove its majority on the floor of the house.
"If we see the Supreme Court judgement, then there should be no President's rule. There are so many cases in which the SC has clearly stated that after the elections, the single largest party should be invited (for government formation) and they should be allowed to prove their majority in the assembly," Abdullah told reporters here when asked about the political situation in Tamil Nadu.
"It happened when (former prime minister) (A B) Vajpayee formed the government for 13 days, the President of India did not wait for him to show his numbers. The President of India invited him, the government was there for 13 days, but when Vajpayee did not have the numbers, he resigned," he said.
So, if we take the SC judgement, the J-K CM added, then the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan "has no justification to stop this process".
"Vijay should be allowed to form the government, and then he should be provided an opportunity to prove his majority and if he proves, he will remain, but if not, then he will have to resign," Abdullah said.
To a question on whether there would be impact of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Jammu and Kashmir, the CM said its impact remains to be seen in the rest of the country first as the assembly elections in the Union territory were not due till 2029.
"As of now it (SIR) has happened in Bengal only. Why are you worried about J-K? The elections are not to take place here till 2029. Let us first see its impact in the rest of the country. What we had to suffer (in J-K), we have. We suffered their delimitation, which was done to benefit the BJP and its friends. Let's see what happens in the future," he said.
On the reported remarks of Leader of Opposition in the J-K assembly, Sunil Sharma, that if the chief minister goes for cabinet expansion, then his party, the National Conference (NC), would suffer like the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and someone like Eknath Shinde would emerge here as well, Abdullah said all his MLAs stand firmly with the party.
"This tells about the intentions of the BJP. 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' (turncoats). Eknath Shinde left because the BJP helped him to leave. It is obvious that the LoP is impatient to hold the chair of the chief minister of J-K. I will only tell him that there is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference. NC's MLAs stand firmly with the party," he said.
Abdullah said the cabinet expansion is on hold because statehood has not been restored to J-K.
"Cabinet expansion is not on hold because of any fear and that is why I regularly say that the LoP proves through statements like this that till the BJP does not get power, they will not allow us to work smoothly and will not make J-K a state again," he said.
Hitting out at the LoP and the BJP, the J-K CM said the people of J-K, especially those who voted for the BJP in the last elections, should remember that the LoP and his party "indulge in the politics of blackmail and the people here are intimidated in the name of statehood".
