'Openly standing with violence': BJP slams Congress for extending support to Palestine

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Congress after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) affirmed its support for the rights of the Palestinian people to land, self-government and to live with dignity.

Hitting out at the Congress, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in a post on X asked the how the grand old party will protect the nation and its citizens when it is “openly standing with violence”.

“Congress at it again! Supporting terror organisations and terrorism while innocent civilians lose their lives to bullets,” he said.

“With this stand, the leading party of I.N.D.I Alliance has exposed itself to the nation. How will the party protect its nation and citizens when it is openly standing with violence,” Joshi added.

Congress at it again!

Supporting terror organisations and terrorism while innocent civilians lose their lives to bullets. With this stand, the leading party of I.N.D.I alliance has exposed itself to the nation. How will the party protect its nation and citizens when it is… pic.twitter.com/sqPwlmzV0h

— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) October 9, 2023

BJP leader Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said, "The problem with Congress is that it moves from the country's ideas and tries to give its own thought."

"... My thought is that it is the responsibility of the Ministry of External Affairs to keep the outlook of the country through the PMO on that international episode... The problem with Congress is that it moves from the country's ideas and tries to give its own thought. In the Doklam issue also same thing happened...," he said.

#WATCH | On Congress CWC resolution on Palestine, BJP leader Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore says, "... My thought is that it is the responsibility of the Ministry of External Affairs to keep the outlook of the country through the PMO on that international episode... The problem with… pic.twitter.com/HDN9DJasLz

— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2023

Amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, the CWC Monday reiterated its long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people to land, self-government and to live with dignity while also calling for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations on all outstanding issues.

In a resolution passed at its four-hour meeting, the Congress's top decision-making body said the CWC expresses its dismay and anguish on the war that has broken out in the Middle East where over a thousand people have been killed in the last two days.

The assertions in the CWC resolution came a day after after Congress said it "condemns the brutal attacks on the people of Israel".

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said his party has always believed that the legitimate aspirations of the people of Palestine must be fulfilled through dialogue while ensuring the national security concerns of Israelis.

Israel witnessed a surprise and unprecedented attack by Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, in its southern parts on Saturday morning.

Israel said it has brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas fighters in response to the terrorist group's unprecedented incursion into Israel.

More than 1,100 people have been killed and thousands wounded on both sides.