[Marxistindia] Palestine Resolution Vote - CPI(M) GS Writes to PM

[news from the cpi(m)]

June 4, 2021

Press Release

We are herewith releasing the full text of the letter addressed by  
CPI(M) General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury to Prime Minister Narendra  
Modi lodging protest against India’s abstention at the UNHRC on the  
Resolution on the Palestinian issue. This letter was sent by mail today.

This is being released for publication.


(For CPI(M) Central Committee Office)

*****

Shri Narendra Modi
Prime Minister
Government of India

Dear Pradhan Mantri ji,

I am writing this letter registering my strong protest over India’s  
vote of abstention in the UN Human Rights Council on the Resolution on  
the Palestinian issue and human rights of all peoples.

Indian people’s support to the legitimate Palestinian right to their  
homeland predates our independence and was part of our freedom  
struggle. Our support to the Palestinian cause emerged as a national  
consensus. India’s vote in the UNHRC violates this consensus.

India consistently championed all the UN resolutions and opposed  
Israel’s blatant violations of these and its illegal occupation of  
Palestinian lands.

India’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations speaking in the  
Security Council on May 17, 2021 expressed India’s support to the  
“Just Palestinian Cause”. He reiterated India’s consistent stand of a  
two-state solution with equal sovereign rights, with East Jerusalem as  
the capital of Palestine. However, ten days later comes this vote  
abstaining on a resolution which seeks at securing Israel’s compliance  
with international human rights covenants.

This vote by India received a chorus of international disappointment,  
dismay and protests. Many correctly see this abstention as stifling  
the important work of the UNHRC in advancing human rights for all  
people including those of the Palestinians.

I am also constrained to point out that this volte face comes at a  
time when the standards of upholding human rights, democratic rights  
and civil liberties in India is perilously  declining. India’s  
abstention is being correlated with the global concern over the fall  
in the standards of upholding human rights in India.

India must reiterate its consistent support to the Palestinian cause  
and cannot renege on the national consensus of support to the  
Palestinian struggle.

I am requesting your immediate attention and a positive consideration  
by India taking a forthright stand of cooperating with the independent  
commission of enquiry set up by the UNHRC after adopting this  
resolution, to investigate violation of international law by Israel.


Yours sincerely


(Sitaram Yechury)
General Secretary
Communist Party of India (Marxist)