In recent resolutions, the Indian National Congress has extended its support for Palestinians. They have called for an "immediate cease-fire" in the Israel-Hamas conflict, a move that follows their condemnation of "brutal attacks on the people of Israel" the day prior. Additionally, they expressed solidarity with the "legitimate aspirations" of the Palestinian people.

This stance aligns closely with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expression of solidarity with Israel, a sentiment echoed by several Western countries and Ukraine. These expressions of support came shortly after Hamas launched a surprising attack on Israel.

“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 CWC reiterates its long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people to land, self-government, and to live with dignity and respect,” the statement read.

It added, “The CWC calls for an immediate cease-fire and for negotiations to begin on all outstanding issues including the imperative issues that have given rise to the present conflict.”

In another development, the Congress Working Committee has passed a resolution outlining their dedication to conducting a comprehensive caste-based census nationwide. Furthermore, the resolution emphasizes their commitment to implementing the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota within the women's quota when they come to power in the upcoming general elections.

The party's resolution also includes a promise to remove the 50 percent cap on reservations for OBCs, SCs, and STs, aligning these quotas with their respective population proportions. This ambitious plan underscores the Congress party's commitment to addressing crucial social and political issues as they aspire to assume a national leadership role.

"It will conduct a nationwide caste census as part of the normal decadal census which was due in 2021, implement the 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies at the earliest, ensuring adequate representation for women belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and including OBCs as well," the Congress said.

The resolution for a nationwide caste census was passed. The CWC also applauded the Bihar government's caste survey, which revealed a significant representation-population disparity, underscoring the pressing need for measures to ensure social justice.

"The CWC also welcomes the objective of the Justice Rohini Commission of sub-categorisation within OBCs, but underlines that it will remain incomplete without detailed data on the socio-economic position of various communities, which can be obtained either from the still unreleased data from the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census or a fresh Caste Census," it said.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has called for government assistance to Sikkim and the hill regions of North Bengal. In response to the Delhi Police's actions at Newsclick, the CWC criticized the government's acceptance of donations from Chinese companies, investments from government-owned Chinese firms, and the Prime Minister's prior denial of Chinese border transgressions.

The CWC also expressed concern over Manipur's constitutional crisis and urged the removal of the Chief Minister and the imposition of the President's Rule. They denounced the BJP and the Prime Minister for degrading political discourse and attempting to incite violence against Rahul Gandhi. Additionally, the CWC highlighted a nearly five-decade low in Indian household financial assets in 2022-23 according to RBI data.

They urged unity and dedication among members and supporters for the upcoming state legislative assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for spreading falsehoods and called for a strong counter-narrative against his claims. Kharge noted Modi's absence in Manipur amid frequent visits to other election-bound states.

Image source: ANI