India on Thursday abstained on a crucial vote to suspend Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, from the world organisation's leading human rights body, asserting that if New Delhi has "chosen" any side, it is the side of "peace and it is for an immediate end to violence."
The 193-member UN General Assembly voted to adopt a draft resolution moved by the US to suspend Russia from the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council over allegations that Russian soldiers killed civilians while retreating from towns near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
The resolution titled ‘Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council' was adopted with 93 votes in favour, 24 against and 58 abstentions. Those abstaining included Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka and UAE.
No permanent member of the UN Security Council has ever had its membership revoked from any organ of the world body.
The UNHRC is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the
world.
“India has abstained on the resolution with regard to suspension of the Russian Federation from the Human Rights Council adopted in the General Assembly today. We do so for reasons of both substance and process,” India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in the Explanation of Vote after the voting.
“Since the inception of the Ukrainian conflict, India has stood for peace, dialogue and diplomacy. We believe that no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives. If India has chosen any side, it is the side of peace and it is for an immediate end to violence,” he
said.
Tirumurti said the impact of the crisis has also been felt beyond the region with increasing food and energy costs, especially for many developing countries.
Since January this year, India has abstained on at least eight occasions on procedural votes and draft resolutions in the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council that deplored Russian aggression against Ukraine.
New Delhi had on Tuesday unequivocally condemned the “deeply disturbing” reports of civilian killings in the Ukrainian city of Bucha and supported the call for an independent investigation, as it underlined that when innocent human lives are at stake, diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option.
Tirumurti said India continues to remain deeply concerned at the worsening situation and reiterates its call for end to all hostilities. “When innocent human lives are at stake, diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option,” he said.