The Hindu : National : A true revolutionary, says Congress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 13, 2004

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National

A true revolutionary, says Congress

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 12. The Congress Working Committee today adopted a resolution condoling the death of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Chairman, Yasser Arafat. The resolution reiterated India's "unstinted support for the establishment of an independent, secular, democratic Palestine living at peace with its neighbours."

The CWC meeting, convened by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, was attended by senior leaders, including the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, Oscar Fernandes, Mohsina Kidwai, Salman Khursheed, Mukul Wasnik and R.K. Dhawan.

It mourned the death of a "true revolutionary, a leader who was an icon and inspiration to his long suffering people and who remained a steadfast friend of India."

Special relationship

The CWC placed on record the "special, uninterrupted relationship" that India and the Indian National Congress shared with Mr. Arafat for almost four decades. It recalled how India's freedom struggle identified itself with similar struggles in other parts of the world.

"India's commitment to the Palestinian cause was total and categorical. Mahatma Gandhi identified himself with the Palestinian struggle for their homeland fully.

It was India, under the premiership of Jawaharlal Nehru, who opposed the partition of Palestine in 1947. It was again Nehru and then Indira Gandhi who unwaveringly supported the Palestinian cause for their own homeland both in the United Nations and at other international fora.

"India takes pride in being the first non-Arab country to recognise the PLO as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people nearly three decades ago."

A frequent visitor

The one-page resolution said that it was under Indira Gandhi's leadership that India became the first non-Arab country to accord diplomatic status to the PLO. And, India was among the first countries to recognise the state of Palestine.

Mr. Arafat was a frequent visitor to India. "He was always accorded the status of a visiting Head of State," the resolution said.

It also took note of the personal relationship between Mr. Arafat and the Nehru-Gandhi family. "He used to refer to Indiraji as his sister and Rajivji as his brother."

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