BJP trying to buy tribal votes: Mamata
Jhargram (West Bengal), Aug 9 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP of misguiding the tribal and scheduled caste communities in the state and trying to buy their votes by giving them cash before the elections.
Without naming BJP, the Trinamool Congress supremo also hinted that the saffron outfit was orchestrating the infiltration of Maoists into Bengal's Jangalmahal (western districts having large forest tracts) from neighbouring Jharkhand to cause unrest in the area.
"There is a political party that misguides the people here before the elections and asks for their votes by giving Rs.1000 in cash to each villager. Do not believe them. They will you give money for two-three days and then disappear," Banerjee said at a public meeting in Jhargram on occasion of 'Adivasi Dibas' (Tribal's Day).
"We have not allowed any tension in this region for the last seven years. We haven't allowed the Maoists to foment trouble. But now some parties are helping the Maoists from Jharkhand to infiltrate here. They are trying to bring back the days of bloodshed and violence in Jangalmahal," she claimed.
She urged the locals of Jhargram not to let the Maoist guerillas enter their area and also stop those who are influencing the Maoists.
The BJP had performed well and picked up a significant number of seats in Bengal's Jangalmahal area comprising Jhargram, West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts in the recent state rural body elections.
Referring to the incidents of lynching in the country, Banerjee said the BJP was not interested in people's welfare and was always trying to divide people along communal lines.
"We do not divide Hindus and Muslims, Sikhs and Chirstians. BJP, the ruling party in Delhi, does these things... They are not interested in the welfare of people. See how the dalits, tribals and minorities are being lynched across the country," Banerjee said.
"Let us take an oath to stop the communal forces. There is no room for communalism, fundamentalism, hatred, conspiracy and propaganda," she said.
Giving out a detailed list of her government's welfare schemes in the backward districts, Banerjee said the state Backward Classes Welfare Department (BCW) has provided caste certificates, reservation in the government sector and higher education, educational loans and scholarships, educational and job opportunities, healthcare facilities, and training in different skills.
She also laid the foundation stone of a new University in Jhargram.
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Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India calls current situation 'no war, no peace'
Bengaluru (PTI): Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi on Saturday characterised the ongoing tensions between his country and the Israel-US alliance as a state of “no war, no peace”.
Calling for an immediate halt to the conflict, he said the global stability hinges on those who initiated the war.
He questioned why countries affected by the war and suffering from the energy crisis are not pressuring the US and Israel to stop the aggression.
Addressing a press conference here, Ilahi said Iran did not want the conflict, but was compelled to respond amid continued attacks, even as negotiations were expected to continue.
"Iran didn't want this war, but Iran was forced by the war and several times Iran tried to avoid this war... I don't know what is the condition of these people and these countries (US-Israel)... they want to impose on other countries what they want, and who gave them this authority?" he questioned.
Recalling the negotiations Iran held in Oman, he said talks later moved to Geneva and made progress before being disrupted by sudden attacks.
Ilahi claimed that airstrikes and missile attacks led to the deaths of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ministers, commanders and civilians.
"They killed a lot of civilians… They attacked a primary school, and they killed 175 innocent girls," he said, claiming over 4,000 deaths, more than 40,000 injuries, and widespread damage to houses, hospitals, universities and public infrastructure.
Despite these losses, he said Iran resisted calls for “unconditional surrender” and stood firm and defended itself.
"They wanted unconditional surrender. Which no one—no one can accept it. Iran said, 'Okay, we are ready to be sacrificed,' but we are not ready to submit ourselves," he added.
He argued that they (US-Israel) proposed the current ceasefire only after realising that they could not achieve any of their objectives after 40 days of conflict.
The envoy further claimed that the ceasefire is not an actual ceasefire, but a “no war, no peace” situation.
Explaining the current situation in Iran, he said conditions remain stable and people are going about their daily lives.
"They are working ....(leading) their ordinary life. They are working—they're going farming and they do everything....and they aren't scared of anything. And they are ready to defend themselves," he added.
Addressing the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, he said the situation was stable before February 28 and all countries benefited from it.
"(For) 10,000 years, the Strait of Hormuz was open...and Iran daily yearly spent a lot for providing security in the Strait of Hormuz... so no one even complained anything about the Strait of Hormuz. Everyone was free...and even our enemies their warship was passing through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
However, he linked the current maritime instability to the actions of the US and Israel.
"So Iran cannot do anything. Those people who initiated, created and started this war, they have to stop it. And everything will go back to normal," he said.
Criticising the mentality of the "great powerful country", Ilahi said, "they think they have the right to do whatever they want. It should change."
He sought to know why the countries affected by the conflict are not exerting pressure on the US and the "Zionist" regime to halt the war.
"Why are they not asking them? This crisis and problem by which a lot of countries are affected was created by them. A lot of factories are closed and even working days in some countries reduced... A lot of restaurants are closed," he said.
Seeking fairness and justice, Ilahi said instead of asking Iran, all those nations should ask those who initiated this war to stop it, by telling them, "we are suffering."
To a query on international mediation, Ilahi, referring to the US, asked, "Is it acceptable and reasonable that one country orders all countries -- you should not deal with this country, You should not purchase from this country. You should not have business with this country. You should not buy from this country."
Ilahi also highlighted Iran's long-standing ties with India and said, "It is a great country and we respect India and Indians."
"We have 5,000 years relationship and friendship. We are connected to India by education, by philosophy, by culture, by civilisation and by the economy," he said.
According to him, the bilateral cooperation remains strong, citing diplomatic engagement.
"At the moment also, our relationship, collaboration, cooperation with India is very good," he said, adding Iran allowing Indian ships to pass through Strait of Hormuz reflects the ties.
"Iran allowed Indian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Why? A lot of countries couldn't get this permission?... The relationship between Iran and India is very good," he added.
He expressed confidence that in future too, the ties between Iran and India will be strong.
