No alliance with BRS for Telangana, Lok Sabha polls: Congress

News Network
June 27, 2023

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New Delhi, June 27: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and top leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday told leaders from poll-bound Telangana that the party will not enter into an alliance with the K Chandrashekar Rao-led BRS in the state or as part of the national Opposition alliance.

Rahul also asked leaders to forget whatever differences they have with each other and work together to form a Congress government in Telangana, which is now ruled by the BRS, party leaders said after a meeting senior Telangana leaders had with central leadership.

The assertion of the top Congress leaders came as Rao ventured into Maharashtra by holding a public meeting on Monday, a move which was not taken kindly by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), the NCP, and the Congress.

BRS was also not part of the meeting of 15 Opposition parties in Patna last Friday, as it felt that sharing a platform with the Congress, which is perceived to have gained ground in Telangana after the recent victory in Karnataka, would be detrimental to its interests.

It was also not part of the 19 parties that issued a joint statement boycotting the inauguration of the new Parliament building. Though it did not officially announce the boycott, the BRS MPs were not present at the function.

“Kharge-ji and Rahul-ji have told us that there will not be any alliance with the BRS. BRS is also not going to be part of the national Opposition alliance because BRS and BJP are working together. They are nothing but one,” Telangana Campaign Committee chairman Madhu Goud Yaskhi told reporters.

When asked whether there is a possibility of a post-poll alliance in case of a hung assembly, Yashki ruled out such a possibility. “In such a scenario, BRS and BJP will join hands,” he said.

The Congress is specifically unhappy with the BRS for entering Maharashtra and other states where it is stronger. “Wherever Congress is strong, BRS is coming there to help the BJP. That is happening across India,” Congress Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre said.

He said Rahul told the meeting that the state unit should start preparations for the elections and whatever differences they have, they should forget it and unitedly fight to win the polls. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal too acknowledged that there are differences in the party but they have decided to face the elections unitedly.

At the meeting also attended by senior leaders like Congress General Secretary Uttam Kumar Reddy, Renuka Chowdhury and Hanumantha Rao among others, the leaders decided to focus on the poor and formulate specific programmes targeting farmers, youth, women, minorities and other social groups.

The major thrust of the campaign would be the alleged corruption of the BRS government, like the way the Congress heralded its campaign in Karnataka.

The central leadership also asked Telangana leaders to start a door-to-door campaign. “We need to move faster,” Thakre said.

Kharge tweeted, “people of Telangana are yearning for change. They are looking towards the Congress party. The Congress party is ready to take on any challenge. Together, we will usher a brighter future for Telangana, based on shared democratic values and all-around social welfare.”

Venugopal said in a tweet, “Telangana is ready to defeat KCR's feudal govt and crush the unholy alliance between BRS and BJP. Telangana is just the beginning. In every village, in every town, the people are looking at the Congress with hope. All over the country, leaders with their ear to the ground are picking up this huge undercurrent in favour of the Congress and are eager to join.” 

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News Network
October 27,2024

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The death toll from the overnight Israeli aggression against a number of military positions across Iran has risen to four.

Earlier the Iranian Army had announced the martyrdom of two of its forces in the Israeli attack, who lost their lives “while confronting the projectiles of the criminal Zionist regime in order to safeguard the security of Iran and prevent harm to the Iranian nation and interests.”

Media reports identified the two martyred Army forces as Major Hamzeh Jahandideh and Sergeant Mohammad-Mehdi Shahrokhifar.

Major Sajjad Mansouri and Sergeant Mehdi Naghavi, who had been injured in line of duty, also succumbed to their injuries, reports said.  

The strikes targeted parts of military sites in the capital Tehran as well as the western and southwestern provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan, with Iran’s air defense saying the attacks were “successfully intercepted and countered.”

The attacks caused “limited damage” in some locations and the dimensions of the incident are under investigation.

Despite Israeli media reports overplaying the Israeli attack by circulating fake images, the Iranian public returned to their routines and daily life continued smoothly across the country.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization announced that flights had resumed after a short interruption and footage from Mehrabad Airport in western Tehran showed operations running normally, with passengers moving through as usual.

The Tehran Oil Refining Company also dismissed rumors of an Israeli attack on its facilities.

On October 1, Iran responded to the Israeli assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and senior IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan by launching as many as 200 ballistic missiles toward the occupying regime’s military and intelligence bases all over the occupied Palestinian territories.

Dubbed Operation True Promise II, the retaliatory strike dealt a severe blow to the illegal regime all the more ruinous than its prequel in April, with Tel Aviv having so far declined to reveal the extent of loss it suffered despite vowing to respond on several occasions.

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News Network
November 1,2024

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Bengaluru, Nov 1: Hardline BJP leader and Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "Nationalise Waqf Assets", alleging Waqf board of "blatant violation" in claiming of the lands of Farmers, temples and mutts.

Taking to his social media, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal posted on X, saying "I have written a letter to the hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji to Nationalize the Waqf Assets in view of the arbitrary, blatant violation in claiming of the lands of Farmers, Landowners, Temples, Trusts and Mutts across the country by the Waqf board. All the citizens of the country have equal rights on the land. If the motive of Waqf is welfare and social service, this has to be done without bias and religious discrimination as India is a secular nation."

Additionally, Vijayapura MLA also attached the letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his post.

Earlier, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya had accused the Waqf Board of encroaching on thousands of acres of farmers' lands with the support of the Karnataka government.

Surya stated, "There have been multiple press conferences and videos in the public domain where the Minister himself has admitted that these Waqf adalats are being conducted under the Chief Minister's instructions. This is a grave matter, where thousands of acres of farmers' lands are being encroached upon by the Waqf Board with the active support and collusion of the State Government."

He mentioned that, in recent days, farmers from various districts across Karnataka have reported that, without prior notice, ownership of their lands has been abruptly transferred to the Waqf Board.

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge criticised BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, claiming he has done nothing for Bengaluru. Kharge's remarks came in response to the BJP MP's accusations regarding Waqf Board land encroachment.

The Congress leader assured that the Karnataka government is committed to protecting farmers' properties.

Kharge further questioned the BJP's record on protecting temples during its previous government, stating that the Karnataka government is committed to safeguarding temples and common people's properties.

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News Network
October 25,2024

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A recent survey has exposed a troubling rise in anti-Muslim racism across Europe, fueled by heightened conflicts in West Asia and Europe’s increasingly hostile climate for Muslims. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) revealed on Thursday that nearly half of European Muslims faced discrimination in the past five years, with the situation worsening notably over the last year as violence flared in Gaza.

Nicole Romain, a spokeswoman for FRA, confirmed reports of intensified anti-Muslim hate across several EU countries. "Even before the current escalation, it was already becoming increasingly challenging to live as a Muslim in the EU," she said, pointing to dehumanizing rhetoric and profiling practices that target Muslims based on religion, ethnicity, and even physical appearance.

The survey, conducted prior to Israel’s large-scale assault on Gaza, included data from over 9,600 Muslims across more than a dozen EU nations between October 2021 and October 2022. The results highlighted Austria as having the highest rate of discrimination against Muslims at 71 percent, followed closely by Germany (68 percent) and Finland (63 percent). France, home to Europe’s second-largest Muslim population, reported a rate of 39 percent.

Women and children are disproportionately affected, particularly those wearing religious attire such as the hijab. FRA's report sheds light on the pervasive racial profiling Muslims face, from random police checks to discrimination in employment despite high qualifications. Director Sirpa Rautio warned that as conflicts continue to escalate, the impact on Muslims in Europe is likely to worsen, compounding challenges for the EU’s 26 million-strong Muslim population, which makes up more than 5 percent of the bloc's residents.

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