New Delhi (PTI): Noting that the "merciless bombing" of Gaza continues with even more "savagery" than before the truce, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Thursday said it is India's duty as a member of the international community to stand up for what is right and do all it can to ensure a ceasefire at the earliest.

In a post on X, the Congress general secretary said India has always stood up for what is just and supported the Palestinian people from the beginning of their long struggle for freedom.

"The merciless bombing of Gaza continues with even more savagery than before the truce. Food supplies are scarce, medical facilities have been destroyed and basic amenities have been shut down," she said.

An entire nation is being wiped out, Priyanka Gandhi asserted while claiming that 16,000 innocent civilians have been killed, including almost 10,000 children, more than 60 journalists and hundreds of medical workers.

"These are people with dreams and hopes just like the rest of us. They are being ruthlessly thrown to their deaths right before our eyes. Where is our humanity?" she posed.

India has always stood up for what is just on the international stage, the Congress leader asserted.

"We fought for sanctions against the apartheid regime of South Africa. We supported our brothers and sisters in Palestine from the beginning of their long struggle for freedom, and now we stand back and do nothing as a genocide takes place wiping them out from the face of the earth?" Priyanka Gandhi said.

It is India's duty as a member of the international community to stand up for what is right, she asserted. "We must do all we can to ensure a ceasefire at the earliest."

The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza has been quoted by media reports as saying that the death toll in the territory has surpassed 16,200, with more than 42,000 wounded. Israel launched a massive military offensive after the October 7 attacks by Hamas group.

Around 1,200 people have died on the Israeli side, mainly civilians, killed during Hamas' October 7 attack, according to media reports.

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Mumbai, May 21: The permanent registration of the luxury Porsche car involved in the accident in which two IT professionals were fatally knocked down by in Pune city was pending since March due to non-payment of Rs 1,758 fees by the owner, top officials of the Maharashtra transport department said on Tuesday.

The electric luxury sports sedan - Porsche Taycan - was being driven allegedly by a prominent builder's 17-year-old son, who the police claim was drunk at the time of the accident that took place in Kalyani Nagar area in the early hours of Sunday.

Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar told PTI that the Porsche car was imported in March by a dealer in Bengaluru and from there it was sent to Maharashtra on a temporary registration.

"When it was produced at the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO), it was found that a certain registration fee was not paid and the owner was asked to pay the amount for completion of the procedure. However, the vehicle was not brought to the RTO for the completion of the registration process after that," he said.

According to officials, road tax is exempted for electric vehicles registered in Maharashtra, and hence for the registration of this Porsche Taycan model, the registration fees that were applicable were only Rs 1,758 with the break-up of Rs 1,500 hypothecation fees, Rs 200 smart card RC fees and Rs 58 postal charges.

Interestingly, as per Porsche India's website, the ex-showroom price of the vehicle manufacturer's various cars starts at Rs 96 lakh and goes over Rs 1.86 crore. Though the price of the Porsche Taycan model is not given on the website, transport department sources said that it could be in crores.

The officials said that as per their records, the vehicle had a valid temporary registration certificate issued by Karnataka with a validity of six months from March to September 2024.

They said that the Porsche dealer in Bengaluru was not at fault as he had handed over the car after doing the temporary registration. Hence, it was the responsibility of the owner to get it registered at the RTO before plying it on the roads. During the temporary registration period, the vehicles can only be used to drive to and from the RTO.

Bhimanwar said that the teenage boy, who was said to be driving the car, will be barred from getting a driving licence until he turns 25 years of age, and the luxury car will also not be allowed to register at any RTO office for 12 months as its existing temporary registration will be cancelled as per the provisions in the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act.

Under the sub-sections of Section 199A (offenses by juveniles) of the MV Act, the transport authorities can take this action.

Bhimanwar said that their department is going to take stringent action in this case and the Pune RTO has been asked to register the police complaint for violation of provisions in the MV Act

"Whatever violations related to the Motor Vehicles Act happened in the issue, those will be registered in the FIR," Bhimanwar said, adding that they will also invoke the procedure for cancellation of the temporary registration of the vehicle as per the provisions in the act.

"The vehicle will be impounded for 12 months," another top official of the transport department said, adding that there is gross negligence in this case as the vehicle was driven at a speed over 160 kmph, allegedly in an inebriated state as per media reports.

The official said that there are several violations in this case, including driving the vehicle without a driving licence and without its registration, among others.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a press conference in Pune this evening that the car was purchased in Bengaluru and was brought here.

"As per the primary information, the RTI had carried out its inspection but the tax which was required to be paid was not paid. If there is any violation regarding that, a separate FIR will be registered," he said.