India has major role to play for peace amid ongoing conflict in Gaza and Ukraine, says UK Labour Party Councillor

He stressed that India is respected on the world stage and it needs to use its goodwill with Russia to bring a peace formula for Ukraine.

Speaking to ANI, Abhimanyu Singh called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. He said that Labour party's stance has been a modern state of Israel along with a Palestinian state and termed it an ideal step.

On being asked about the conflict in Palestine, he said, "Well, it's high time that the powers that be, that is the Anglo-American alliance, stepped in and called for an immediate ceasefire because that is something needed immediately. Violence has to stop both the sides. The long-term solution is a two-state solution that is officially Labour Party's position, a peaceful, progressive, modern state of Israel along with a Palestinian state. That would be an ideal step. That is also, I think, India's official position. The two parties came very close, Israelis and Palestinians, in year 1994, the famous Oslo Peace Agreement with Yasser Arafat. But, unfortunately, the hardliners derailed it and also Middle East is like a kind of a football for world politics.

"So, that's a bit sad but there should be immediate ceasefire. Powers that be need to intervene, bring peace in the region because otherwise this can escalate out of hands. This can really escalate and the situation can get out of hands. There's war going on between Russia and Ukraine. So, we are not in the best of position. And I personally feel having observed India has a major role to play in all this. Because today India is really respected on the world stage. We need to utilize our goodwill with Russia and Ukraine so that some peace formula can be reached there. And and after that take it further if some peace formula can be reached between Israel and Palestinians," he added.

He said that he is on a visit to Varanasi for his personal work. He said, "I have come here for a personal work. I have come to Varanasi for performing sharad rituals of parents, because it is the most sacred city. And the importance of Varanasi is very much. Like in Britain, in the western part of the world, Banaras is called the ancient Jerusalem. Banaras has importance for Indian culture, like Jerusalem has importance for Judaism, Islam, and Christianity."

Highlighting historical ties between India and the UK's Labour party, he stated, "Labour Party is the party that was built by Indians in the United Kingdom. The founding fathers of the labor movement were people like, there is also Varanasi connection actually of the Labour Party, Annie Besant, Congress President. So, people like her leaders like Octavian Hume, Keir Hardy, these were the initial, Annie Besant obviously, was Irish, so these were the initial leaders who founded the labour movement, a party for the working class and it was founded in 1900. But Indian National Congress and India's Independence formal movement, that was founded even before that because Ireland was in similar position as us. It was a colony, British colony, and they wanted independence. And so did we."

"Then came a period in early 1900s when the Labour Party was really struggling and it was about to go bankrupt. It had almost gone bankrupt or defunct. That's where Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the grand old man of our independence movement, stepped in. He donated 2000 pounds, which was a big amount at that time in the year 1918. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad, who formed the BHU Library. He apparently gave that money secretly to Lokmanya Tilak to be given it to the leaders of the Labour Party so that there could be a political platform, there could be political leaders who would speak for India as a nation and us Indians and our independence. So this is the historic ties. Then in 1945, Labour Party won the general elections under Clement Attlee's leadership, and it was part of the manifesto to grant independence to India," he added.

He also spoke about Rosie Duffield's resignation as Labour MP and termed it "very sad and unfortunate." Abhimanyu Singh called UK PM Keir Starmer a "capable leader" and added that the people of the UK have given him a massive mandate.

On being asked about the resignation of Rosie Duffield, Abhimanyu Singh said, "Yes, that has happened. It's very sad and unfortunate. Since I am a councillor, I work closely with cabinet ministers from my region. So, it would not be appropriate for me while I am here in India to make any comments. I hope this crisis will be resolved. It shouldn't have happened."

"It's unfortunate. Sir Keir Starmer is a very capable leader. He was a public prosecutor and people of United Kingdom have given us a massive mandate, a big responsibility. I campaigned quite actively. I was covering five constituencies and we won all those constituencies. So, we have to live up to expectations of people. So hopefully Labour Party will deliver on all fronts. So yeah, as you know, in politics, you know, media does highlight things and but this is just a minor thing and hopefully it'll go away," he added.

When asked about the clashes in the UK, he stated, "Well, for any social tensions, the best way forward is education, integration. When you have communities culturally integrated and when they feel part of the system, troubles don't arise. So it's very sad what happened in recent times in the United Kingdom. It was triggered by right-wing groups, hardline groups. But, the government intervened, and the situation was brought under control very soon."

He also praised UK PM Starmer, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire Diana Johnson for acting in an "efficient manner" to bring the situation under control. (ANI)