Government silence on Gaza killing soul of India: Mehbooba MPs walk out of LS against government inaction

New Delhi, July 18: Continuing with her campaign for the victims of Israeli aggression in Gaza the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, Friday said soul of India was being killed by the silence and inaction of present government over the unabashed atrocities committed onPalestinians.

Mehbooba rose up at the start of the proceedings in the Lok Sabha, today, and reiterated that the government must use its influence to stop the aggression on Gaza which has, so far, consumed 250 innocent lives with a ground invasion by Israel threatening more destruction and escalation.

Mehbooba said it was sad that NDA government, in spite of having an overwhelming majority, had turned Gandhi’s India, which always took principled stand on Palestine, into a mute, helpless spectator.

“Of what use is your brute majority if you feel shaky even by the mention of Gaza in this House and about the atrocities on children, women and aged,” Mehbooba said while pointing to the treasury benches. Such a big win should have empowered the country to take centre stage in the region especially on humanitarian issues but it has failed to do so, she said.

She said our claim to being a superpower with tremendous potential, power, nuclear arms and status as the largest democracy in the world, all is diluted because of the helplessness this government is displaying in relation with open aggression on a defenseless people, who have been squeezed into a corner of their country. “On a non issue like the Vaidik controversy this government almost stood on its head giving number of explanations in defence but when it comes to killing of defenceless children, women and unarmed civilians even a word of sympathy is held back” Mehbooba said.

Mehbooba, who represents South Kashmir in the Lok Sabha, said Gandhi, in spite of promoting non-violence, had given India a moral standing and influence among nations of the world by calling a spade a spade. But, the present government by refusing to speak up on a humanitarian crisis in a region with which we have had historical connections is severely compromising that high moral pedestal of the country.

She said by its timid conduct the government is not showing itself in bright colors and is in fact killing the soul of India.

Mehbooba, along with Tariq Hameed Karra, PDP MP, later staged a walkout against the continued refusal to act.