Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning Russia’s “aggression” against Ukraine, which was supported by the United States. Eleven nations supported the resolution, while India, China, and the United Arab Emirates abstained.
The resolution states that Russia must immediately halt its use of force against Ukraine and shall cease any other illegal threat of retaliation against any UN member state.
What is Veto Power, and which countries are eligible to exercise it?
If any of the permanent members of the UN Security Council vote a negative vote in a pending UNSC decision, the resolution will not be approved. This is called veto power and every country knows how to use it. It makes 5 permanent members as default superpowers, no matter what country’s image is in front of the whole world.
The permanent members of UN are Russia, China, the UK, France, and the US. The non-permanent members at present are India, Niger, Norway, The Grenadines, Estonia, Kenya, Ireland, Mexico, Saint Vincent, Vietnam, and Tunisia.
While permanent members such as China, France and the United Kingdom used veto for their own purposes, the United States of America and Russia mostly used it for their country’s diplomacy.
Russia has used the veto the most frequently since 1992, followed by the United States and China. Russia had used its veto 118 times as of February 2022, compared to 82 times for the United States, 29 times for the United Kingdom, 16 times for France, and 17 times for China.
However, Russia’s high number of vetoes may be ascribed mostly to the period 1946-1969, when a majority of the Security Council was allied with the US, which cast no vetoes since it won every vote. During these years, the Soviet Union used 93% of all vetoes to prevent the Western majority from passing resolutions. But the fall of the Soviet Union, apart from vetoing for its own, Russia mostly uses vetoes for their friends and their allies. One of the allies is our country, India!
India and Russia have cultivated an extraordinary partnership for more than 50 years
Even today, when every liberal and democratic country has turned against Russia for their full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in the “special military operation” for “demilitarisation,” India has refused to vote against Russia despite pressure from the West.
India, on the other hand, did not vote in favour of Russia. However, in today’s highly polarised world, when every country is taking a stance, India’s choice to abstain from voting was interpreted as silent support and a middle path to balance India’s relationship with both sides.
The friendship relationship between India and Russia is the only bilateral relationship that is referred to as friendship. People in both countries have had strong sentiments for each other for more than five decades. Both countries still see each other as trusted allies. This is why, on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in December 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said,
“Even a child in India, if asked to say who is India’s best friend, will reply it is Russia because Russia has been with India in times of crisis.”
But this friendship is not a one-way street, even Russians also adore us as their own. Apart from having cultural and geopolitical ties with each other, Russia always supported India’s stance at the UN.
As an all-weathered friend, Russia has also utilised its veto power in favour of India throughout the years. In all, the permanent member of the UN Security Council has exercised its veto four times in favour of India. Moscow’s status as a key ally in South Asia has not weakened over the years.
It is no secret that throughout the Cold War, the former Soviet Union rejected multiple UNSC resolutions on Kashmir, preventing the internationalization of what is fundamentally a bilateral dispute. Soviet Union was the sole country to block proposals demanding UN action in Kashmir in the UN Security Council in 1957, 1962, and 1971.
In December 1961, Russia stood with India when it freed Goa and thrashed NATO member Portugal, causing many in the West to turn crimson.
Last but not least, in August 2019, Russia became one of the first countries to define India’s action on Kashmir (scrapping Article 370 and state bifurcation) as strictly an internal matter, calling for a settlement under the 1972 Shimla Agreement and the 1999 Lahore Declaration. Since then, the Russian Foreign Minister and other officials have reaffirmed their position.
On Friday, February 26, India abstained their vote on a UN Security Council resolution presented by the United States that condemned Russia’s actions against Ukraine in the harshest terms. New Delhi stated that conversation is the only way to resolve differences and issues, and expressed “regret” that diplomacy was abandoned.
Daylight robbery is not quite usual but it does not strike out the fact that it is highly possible. Many a time cases as such have surfaced online where normal people were robbed in broad daylight. Recently, the passengers in a taxi got robbed inside the Pragati Maidan tunnel in Delhi on Saturday afternoon.
Four men rob taxi passengers at gunpoint in broad daylight and here is what Delhi Police have to say
On Saturday, a delivery agent and his associate were robbed at gunpoint by a group of unknown assailants, stealing around Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 lakh cash from them. In spite of having 16 security guards in the Pragati Tunnel, there were no CCTV cameras installed. Although the Public Works Department assured that cameras are installed, they did not confirm their operational conditions.
The victims made a complaint at Tilak Marg police station later in the evening. The Pragati tunnel is a 1.5 km tunnel that connects New Delhi with Sarai Kale Khan and Noida. The police said that following the complaint made by the victims, a case has been filed under Sections 397 IPC which covers robbery, or dacoity with an attempt to cause death or grievous hurt and 34 (common intention).
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Pranav Tayal, has shared that the complainant can be identified as Patel Sajan Kumar and his associate Jigar Patel. Patel Sajan works as a delivery agent for a private firm in Chandni Chow and has informed the police that he and Jigar were going to Gurugram to deliver the cash to a client.
As per the registered complaint, the two of them hired an Ola cab from near Red Fort. As soon as the cab entered the Pragati Maidan tunnel from Ring Road, four assailants on two motorcycles surrounded their cab and robbed the cash off them keeping them at gunpoint.
Delhi Minister Atishi also took to Twitter and slammed the incompetency of the Lieutenant Governor. She tweeted,
LG साहब: अगर आपको @ArvindKejriwal के कामों का क्रेडिट लेने से फ़ुरसत मिले तो कभी अपनी संवैधानिक ज़िम्मेदारी पर भी ध्यान दीजिए। दिल्ली वालों को सुरक्षा देना आपका काम है। और अब दिन दहाड़े दिल्ली में चोरी, डकैती और क़त्ल की वारदातें हो रही हैं। या तो आप सुरक्षा की ज़िम्मेदारी लीजिए,… https://t.co/RG4c9ozWnW
Coming across train service complaints on social media is nothing new. Very often than not we find passengers complaining about bland food or bugs in the cooked food provided to them. Quite recently someone took to Twitter regarding a complaint where they found plastic in the railway food. But the latest thing that happened has actually stunned everyone when a video of the roof of a passenger coach train surfaced online.
Indian Railways slammed over water leakage in AC coach
Netizens have harshly criticized the poor management and maintenance of the train coaches after a surprising video surfaced online. Recently, a video went viral on social media platforms in which it can be clearly seen rainwater seeping in through the roof of the 2-tier AC coach of the Avantika Express. The Congress party also reshared the video uploaded by a passenger and took to Twitter to play the blame game immediately.
“काश खोखले प्रचार की जगह रेलवे के लिए कुछ काम किया होता। झंडी दिखाने वाले रेल मंत्री अभी विदेश में हैं, नाम वाले रेल मंत्री ध्यान दें। (Wish some actual work would have been done for the Railways in place of empty propaganda. The railway minister who shows the flag is currently abroad, the named railway minister should pay attention)”
काश खोखले प्रचार की जगह रेलवे के लिए कुछ काम किया होता।
झंडी दिखाने वाले रेल मंत्री अभी विदेश में हैं, नाम वाले रेल मंत्री ध्यान दें। pic.twitter.com/FNLvQL1Ihu
It was a jab at the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who recently flagged off 11 Vande Bharat Express, the Railways’ newest hi-tech train.
Railways response to the above-mentioned tweet
The Western Railway took to Twitter to respond to that tweet hours later and stated that all the coaches of the Avantika Express train were properly checked.
“All coaches of Avantika Exp have been checked thoroughly & issue has been attended to promptly. The train has commenced its return journey & there are no such issues now. Passenger convenience is of utmost priority & WR leaves no stone unturned to resolve passengers’ grievances”
All coaches of Avantika Exp have been checked thoroughly & issue has been attended promptly.
The train has commenced its return journey & there are no such issues now.
Passenger convenience is of utmost priority & WR leaves no stone unturned to resolve passengers’ grievances. pic.twitter.com/V9QyKiIowJ
Thandi hawa ke sath sath sarkar ne barish ke pani ka bhi anand lene ke liye ye nayab tarikib lagai hai isme bhrastachar bilkul nhi hai aur haa jine murko ke ye lgta hai isme amir log travel krte hai to unko ye bta du amir log plan me jate hai aur dikhave wale amir train me….🤐
— Mahua Moitra Fans (@MahuaMoitraFans) June 25, 2023
This is probably not the first time that something has happened as per the claims of this Twitter user,
Recently travelled from 12424 Rajdhani Express to #Guwahati , had a very bad experience. As it was raining the rainwater was leaking in every coach and also there was no water in most of the dirty toilets. TTE ignored the complaint and asked to register complaint via phone.
On Sunday, Shah Rukh Khan aka the King Khan, completed 31 years in Bollywood industry. It was in 1992, when he made his debut in the industry with the movie Deewana opposite late actress Divya Bharti. As the fans celebrated the big day on social media with amazing messages and tributes for the actor, SRK also decided to celebrate the occasion with his fans in his own style.
Shah Rukh Khan completed 31 years in Bollywood
He took some time out of his busy schedule and held an #AskSRK session on Twitter. Starting the question and answer session on Twitter, SRK wrote:
“Wow just realised it’s 31 yrs to the day when Deewana hit the screens. It’s been quite a ride mostly a good one. Thanks all and we can do 31minutes of #AskSRK ??”
In no time, his Tweet was flooded with a variety of questions from fans for their favorite actor. SRK, who is known for his hilarious sense of humor, gave amazing replies to his fans with wit and humor.
Wow just realised it’s 31 yrs to the day when Deewana hit the screens. It’s been quite a ride mostly a good one. Thanks all and we can do 31minutes of #AskSRK ??
While interacting with the fans, King Khan stumbled upon a question that was asked by a female fan, who is currently pregnant with twins. The fan came up with an epic Tweet for the Pathaan actor. She asked:
“sir i am pregnant with twin babies..wish me luck i will name them pathaan and jawan.”
sir i am pregnant with twin babies..wish me luck i will name them pathaan and jawan ❤️ #AskSRK 5
Besides all the funny and hilarious answers, SRK was also seen giving some serious answers. A fan asked him if he would do a movie like Swades again, a role that was loved by one and all
Talking about his work front, SRK made a comeback after a hiatus of 4 years with Siddharth Anand’s blockbuster action-thriller Pathaan, which hit the theatres in January this year. SRK will be next seen in the upcoming action-thriller Jawan, which will be released on September 7th.
Jawan is directed by South filmmaker Atlee. Produced under SRK’s Red Chillies Entertainment, the movie also stars Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles.