Owaisi seeks action against Assam CM over ‘point-blank shot’ video
Hyderabad (PTI): AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday lodged a complaint with the city police seeking criminal action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over a now-deleted purported video shared on social media.
The video, which was posted by the Assam BJP on 'X' and later removed, allegedly showed Sarma taking aim with a rifle and firing a shot at two individuals—one wearing a skull cap and the other sporting a beard—with the caption "point-blank shot."
In a post on 'X', the Hyderabad MP said, "Unfortunately, genocidal hate speech has become a norm."
In his complaint, Owaisi accused Sarma of "deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of Muslims", promote enmity between the two religious communities, and make imputations prejudicial to national integration.
The AIMIM chief further accused Sarma of continuously making statements over the past several years against the Muslim community through social media, print platforms, public speeches and other forums.
He alleged that in recent months, the chief minister had deliberately intensified his "hate speeches with a clear and conscious intention to outrage the religious feelings of Muslims and promote enmity and hatred between Hindus and Muslims", fully aware that such imputations are prejudicial to national integration and destructive of communal harmony.
Owaisi said the recent purported video posted on the 'X' handle of the BJP’s Assam unit on February 7—which was taken down a day later but continues to circulate on social media—depicts Sarma being portrayed as armed with a firearm and aiming it at persons "clearly depicted as Muslims", before shooting at them.
"The said post and video, along with the imagery used and phrases such as ‘point-blank shot’ and ‘no mercy’, constitute a deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage the religious feelings of Muslims, promote hatred and ill-will between religious communities, and incite communal violence," Owaisi said, seeking legal action against Sarma in accordance with the law.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
