Modi is a peddler of lies, must apologise to nation: Congress
New Delhi, July 15 : Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "peddler of untruths", Congress on Sunday demanded an apology from him for calling it a "Muslim party".
It also challenged Modi to discuss his accusations against the Congress in Parliament during the Monsoon Session beginning this week.
"Prime Minister is the peddler of untruths and lies. He is lowering the dignity of office by distorting facts and misrepresenting history. He is desperate and has nothing to show for the last four years.
"Congress does not need certification of nationalism from somebody who are the descendants of not only non-participants of the freedom movement but also active collaborators of British," said senior Congress leader Anand Sharma.
Noting the Prime Minister is for "entire India and not only BJP", he said: "Congress has led nationalist movements and struggle for freedom. Calling the party a 'Muslim party' is not befitting of a PM. He has less knowledge of history. He writes his own history.
"With his statements, the PM not only disrespects history but also undermines the achievements of India. This sick mindset of his is an issue of national concern. He should apologise to the nation for making false statements and lying."
The Congress also appealed to Modi not to disrupt to the monsoon session of Parliament like the government did in the last session, but instead give "accounts of the promises he made in 2014".
"He doesn't have courage to have debates in Parliament and talk about his work. Be it on his promises on employment, MSP for farmers..all have been broken."
Asked about Modi saying Congress is interested only in the welfare of Muslim men and not women, Sharma said: "Since when has Modi become the protector of women.... The state (Uttar Pradesh) in which he was speaking is witnessing daily rapes. Even yesterday when he was giving the speech, a woman was gangraped in a temple and burnt alive... what action has he taken?"
"For him to say Congress is obstructing to enact a law in Parliament, is absolutely wrong. We are totally against triple talaq. But, when a bill comes in the parliament, there are some rules... Traditionally, the Standing Committee scrutinises it and only after that it is discussed and a law is enacted," he said, accusing the BJP of trying "their best to bypass the parliament so that there is no scrutiny.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses defence minister in surprise announcement
Jerusalem, Nov 5: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited “significant gaps” and a “crisis of trust” between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”
In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged. While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the Hamas group.
Gallant, a former general who has gained public respect with a gruff, no-nonsense personality, said in a statement: “The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life's mission."
Gallant has worn a simple, black buttoned shirt throughout the war in a sign of sorrow over the October 7 attack and developed a strong relationship with his US counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A previous attempt by Netanyahu to fire Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu. He also flirted with the idea of dismissing Gallant over the summer but held off until Tuesday's announcement.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister who was a junior officer in the military. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu rival who recently rejoined the government, will take the foreign affairs post.
Netanyahu has a long history of neutralising his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
“But they kept getting wider. They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy - our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he said.
