Modi called off his Malaysia visit in October as he didn't want to face Trump: Congress
New Delhi (PTI): As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day trip to Malaysia began on Saturday, the Congress claimed that he had called off his last visit to Kuala Lumpur in October as he did not want to be face-to-face with US President Donald Trump.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said as the prime minister meets his Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, it is worth recalling the latter's words while paying tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh on December 27, 2024.
"In late October 2025, the Prime Minister was expected to visit Kuala Lumpur. It had been announced but at the last minute Mr Modi called it off because he did not want to come face-to-face with President Trump who was also to be there at the same time. So Mr Modi settled for a virtual summit meeting with ASEAN leaders.
"Now the Prime Minister is off to Kuala Lumpur to see another good friend of his -- the Prime Minister of Malaysia. It is worth recalling what Mr Anwar Ibrahim had said in his tribute to Dr Manmohan Singh on Dec 27, 2024," Ramesh said in a post on X.
Ibrahim had then said that Singh, "slightly awkward as a politician but undeniably upright, steadfast and resolute as a statesman, leaves behind a legacy that will inspire generations to come".
Ibrahim had also recalled how during his dark days, "as I navigated the labyrinth of imprisonment, he stood by me as a true friend. Such acts of quiet magnanimity defined him, and they will remain etched in my heart forever".
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Family of injured driver in murder of Suvendu's aide seeks exemplary punishment
Kolkata (PTI): The family of Buddhabeb Bera, the driver injured in the shooting that killed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's close aide Chandranath Rath, demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible and urged the new government to ensure such incidents do not happen in West Bengal.
Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram near Kolkata on Wednesday night, triggering a political storm in the state. Bera, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the attack, sustained gunshot wounds and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Family members said they learned about the incident through television and immediately left for Kolkata.
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"We came to know from TV reports that my nephew had been shot. We still do not know who carried out the attack or why it happened," Buddhabeb's uncle Biswajit Bera said.
"Our only wish now is that he recovers and returns home safely," he added.
Buddhabeb, 25, hails from Majnaberia village in the Chandipur police station area in Purba Medinipur district.
According to family members, he mostly stays in Kolkata for work and visits home occasionally during weekends.
Besides his parents, his younger brother, sister-in-law and several relatives have also travelled to Kolkata following the incident.
Demanding strict action against the perpetrators, the uncle said, "We want the government to conduct a proper investigation and identify those directly involved in the crime. They should be given exemplary punishment so that such incidents do not happen again in West Bengal and no other family has to go through this grief."
A neighbour, Ranjana Ghorai, also sought stringent punishment for those behind the attack.
"In our neighbourhood, we call him Sona. We want exemplary punishment for the people responsible for this incident," she said.
Rath's family members have demanded life imprisonment for the accused, while Adhikari has called for capital punishment for those involved in the killing.
