Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the Opposition by and large agrees with the BJP-led government’s current position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and that by virtue of being a large country, it is natural for India to have a range of bilateral relationships across the world.
During a press conference at the Press Club in Brussels, he was asked by a Ukrainian news agency about the “cautious approach” taken by the Modi government on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and if such an approach was dictated by the supply of oil from Russia to the country.
He was asked to spell out the Opposition’s view on the government’s stance on this conflict in Europe, which is expected to dominate the G20 Summit agenda as well.
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“I think the Opposition by and large, would agree with India's current position on the conflict,” Gandhi responded.
“We have a relationship with Russia. And I don't think the Opposition would have a different view than what the government is currently proposing,” he said.
India has repeatedly called on Russia and Ukraine to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue and end their ongoing conflict.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to the presidents of Russia and Ukraine on multiple occasions and urged for immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue for the resolution of the conflict.
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Elaborating further when asked about India-Russia relations and attempts by Western leaders to “lure India away” from Russia, Gandhi reiterated that it is natural for India to have a diverse range of ties with different nations.
“India, of course, has a relationship with Russia, India has a relationship with the United States. India is a large country and by nature of being a large country, it will have relationships with many other countries. So that's a normal thing… India has every right to have a relationship with whoever it wants,” he added.
On a question about the Opposition’s stance on Kashmir and the government's abrogation of Article 370 in the region, Gandhi pointed to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution and stressed that the Opposition felt strongly about the development and progress of Kashmir.
“Our position on Article 370 is very clear. It's in a resolution passed in the CWC of the Congress Party… we are for ensuring that every single person in our country has a voice, is allowed to express themselves. And, we feel very strongly that Kashmir should develop, Kashmir should progress and there should be peace in Kashmir,” he said.
In response to a related question on what role he sees for “international diplomacy” in resolving the Kashmir issue, Gandhi responded: “Kashmir is, of course, an integral part of India, so it's nobody's business other than our own, other than India's business.”
