Fair elections crucial to protect democracy: Congress leader Ashok Gehlot
Jaipur (PTI): Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Saturday appealed to people to support the Congress' 'Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod' campaign, claiming that democracy will be under threat if free and fair elections are not ensured.
Speaking to reporters after a Congress meeting here, the former chief minister said party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have directed state units to hold meetings and mobilise people to sign memoranda highlighting "vote theft" by the BJP.
"If elections are not held fairly, democracy will be in danger in the country. Saving democracy is... the duty of every citizen. If vote theft is not stopped and the Election Commission fails to ensure free and fair polls, people will lose their right to vote," Gehlot claimed.
He urged people to actively take part in the Congress' statewide signature campaign against "vote theft" from September 15 to October 15.
"It is the responsibility of the common man to save their voting rights by joining this campaign and making it successful," Gehlot said.
On the alleged installation of additional cameras in the Rajasthan Assembly, he said it is a "very serious matter".
"The governor should order a probe into this matter," the Congress leader said.
The "vote theft" allegation was first raised by Gandhi at a press conference in Delhi on August 7. Pointing out irregularities in electoral rolls, the leader accused the Election Commission of favouring the BJP.
The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected the allegations.
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Trump says he called off dispatching envoys to Iran talks
Dubai (PTI): US President Donald Trump said he told his top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner not to travel to Pakistan to negotiate with Iran, stating on Fox News that "they can call us any time they want”.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports. Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade,” to allow a new round of negotiations, according to the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies in Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Araghchi is expected back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday.
Trump said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House. The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries this month. The initial 10-day ceasefire had been due to expire Monday.
The Trump administration is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil.
The move announced Friday is part of the administration's threat to impose secondary sanctions on entities doing business with Iran in an effort to cut off Iran's oil exports, which are a key source of its revenue.
Airlines worldwide have begun cancelling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices. Experts have offered information to travelers about what to do if a flight is cancelled.
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports, according to Iranian media.
Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade”, to allow a new round of negotiations, the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies reported.
The Pakistani premier described the call as a “warm and constructive discussion”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded a one-day trip to Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Saturday after meeting with Pakistani military and government officials.
The trip did not produce a breakthrough in efforts to relaunch negotiations after US President Donald Trump canceled a planned trip by his envoys to Islamabad.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will return to Pakistan after his current visit to Oman on his way to visiting Russia.
The report said he was expected to be back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday and would join other members of his delegation who had gone to Tehran for consultations and “instructions on the topics related to the end of the war.”
