Left slams India's abstention on Gaza resolution, CPI(M) announces protest on Sunday
New Delhi (PTI): India's abstaining from voting on a United Nations resolution calling for a truce in Gaza is "shocking" and shows that it is shaping its foreign policy as "a subordinate ally of US imperialism," the CPI(M) and the CPI said in a joint statement on Saturday.
The CPI(M) said it will hold a protest on Sunday at its AKG Bhawan office to express solidarity with Palestine.
In the joint statement titled 'Stop this Genocidal Aggression in Gaza,' Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI General Secretary D Raja said India's move negates its longstanding support to the Palestinian cause.
"It is shocking that India abstained on a Resolution overwhelmingly adopted by the UN General Assembly calling for a humanitarian truce titled 'Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations' in the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza," they said.
"India's abstention on a resolution that was overwhelmingly adopted shows the extent to which Indian foreign policy is being shaped by being a subordinate ally of US imperialism and the Modi government's actions for consolidating the US-Israel-India nexus. This negates India's longstanding support to the Palestinian cause," they said.
The two Left parties said as the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution, Israel stepped up its "genocidal air and ground attacks in the Gaza strip."
It also cut off all communications in Gaza which is home to 2.2 million Palestinians, they said, and called for an immediate ceasefire.
"Respecting the overwhelming mandate of the UN General Assembly there must be an immediate ceasefire. The United Nations must reenergize itself to implement the mandate of the Security Council for a 2-State solution with pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of State of Palestine," they said.
The decision to hold the protest on Sunday was taken in an ongoing session of the Central Committee of the CPI(M). The three-day meet which started on Friday will conclude on Sunday.
The protest will be attended by members of the Central Committee and the Polit Bureau of the party.
The 193 members of the UNGA, which met in a resumed 10th Emergency Special Session, voted on the draft resolution submitted by Jordan and co-sponsored by more than 40 nations including Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, and South Africa.
The resolution was adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour, 14 against it, and 45 abstaining. Besides India, countries that abstained from voting, included Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine, and the UK.
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What happens to terms Keralite, Keralan: Tharoor's witty take on Keralam replacing Kerala
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had a witty take on Kerala's name change on Tuesday, asking what happens now to the terms "Keralite" and "Keralan" for the "denizens" of the new "Keralam".
In a lighter vein, Tharoor said 'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the proposal for altering the name of Kerala to Keralam.
Ahead of the Cabinet decision announcement, Tharoor said, "All to the good, no doubt, but a small linguistic question for the Anglophones among us: what happens now to the terms 'Keralite' and 'Keralan' for the denizens of the new 'Keralam'?
"'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral ! @CMOKerala might want to launch a competition for new terms resulting from this electoral zeal," he said, sharing the media report on the name change.
The Legislative Assembly of Kerala passed a resolution on June 24, 2024 to alter the name of Kerala to Keralam'.
Thereafter, the government of Kerala requested the government of India to take necessary steps to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of Kerala to Keralam according to Article 3 of the Constitution.
The matter regarding the alteration of the name Kerala to Keralam was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India and with the approval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the draft note for the Cabinet for changing Kerala to Keralam was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments.
The Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice have concurred with the proposal for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam.
After approval of the Union Cabinet, the president of India will refer a Bill, namely the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India.
After receipt of the views of the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala, the government of India will take further action and the recommendation of the president will be obtained for the introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam in Parliament.
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Tharoor said he was truly pleased to see C Rajagopalachari honoured by a statue at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"He was its first Indian occupant as the only Indian Governor-General of India, before we became a Republic and he yielded his seat to the new President. I have long admired his convictions and was a strong supporter of his Swatantra Party in my student days," Tharoor said.
"His set of values and principles -- liberal economics and support for free enterprise, combined with social justice; strong anchoring in Indian civilization and religious faith but without a shred of communal bigotry; and a staunch faith in the rights & freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, including keeping the government out of our kitchens, bedrooms and libraries -- remain mine to this day," the Congress MP said.
It is sad that there are so few left to follow him today, Tharoor added on X.
