‘Rebuff to self-styled Vishwaguru’: Cong on reports of Pak mediation in West Asia
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday said that if reports of Pakistan being one of the intermediaries between the US-Israel and Iran are true, then they represent a "severe setback" and "rebuff" to India.
The opposition party claimed that in spite of India's undoubted military successes in Operation Sindoor, the sad reality is that thereafter Pakistan's diplomatic engagement and narrative management has been "markedly superior to that of the Modi government".
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said multiple reports in leading international media outlets have identified Pakistan as one of the intermediaries being used between the US and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other.
"If these reports are true, they represent a severe setback and rebuff to India - and it is all attributable to the self-styled Vishwaguru," Ramesh said on X.
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"For over a year, it has been abundantly clear that in spite of our undoubted military successes in Operation Sindoor, the sad reality is that thereafter Pakistan's diplomatic engagement and narrative management has been markedly superior to that of the Modi government," he said.
Pakistan which was in a hugely precarious situation, politically, socially, economically and globally, has received a fresh lease of life, Ramesh said.
"President Trump warmly and repeatedly embraced the man whose incendiary and inflammatory rhetoric formed the backdrop to the Pahalgam terror attacks on April 22 2025, and hosted Field Marshall Asim Munir twice in the White House (including for an unprecedented lunch). The Pakistani establishment has developed a cosy relationship with President Trump's immediate circle," he claimed.
"Mr. Modi's ill-advised visit to Israel, that ended just two days before the unprovoked US-Israel aerial assaults on Iran began, will go down in our political history as a singularly disastrous choice - one that has made us retreat from a position where we could and should have mediated," the Congress leader said.
The prime minister's "huglomacy" stands brutally exposed, he said, adding that the country is being forced to pay a price for this.
President Donald Trump on Monday said the US was talking with a respected Iranian leader and claimed the Islamic Republic was eager for a deal to end the war
Trump, however, refused to name the Iranian leader the US is in talks with to end the three-week-old war, asserting that the interlocutor was a top person who is most respected in that country.
Speaking to reporters at the Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, Trump made it clear that the US was not in talks with the second Supreme Leader, a reference to Ayatollah Khamanei's son Mojtaba Khamenei.
According to reports, Iran has denied being in talks with the US, but admitted that some countries in the region were making efforts to reduce tensions.
Axios news website quoted a US source as saying that Turkiye, Egypt, and Pakistan have been passing messages between the US and Iran over the past two days.
The foreign ministers of the three countries held separate talks with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the US source told Axios.
The president said Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy for the Middle East, and Jared Kushner spoke with their Iranian counterparts on Sunday.
However, Trump declined to say to whom Witkoff was speaking, saying he did not want them to be killed.
Starting February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The joint strikes came after days of build-up with US President Donald Trump ramping up the pressure on Tehran to agree to a new deal on its nuclear programme.
Iran's retaliation escalated the war to the entire Gulf region.
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Diageo India collaborates with IRTE, Bengaluru Traffic Police to improve road safety
Bengaluru (PTI): Diageo India, in collaboration with the Institute of Road Traffic Education and the Bengaluru Traffic Police, has undertaken a road safety and traffic engineering study aimed at improving safety and traffic efficiency at key intersections in the city, the company said on Wednesday.
The initiative, taken up as part of the Diageo India (United Spirits Limited)’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitments, focuses on enhancing road safety and urban mobility in Bengaluru through research, on-ground assessment and capacity building.
According to a statement, the study assessed three key intersections—Chalukya Circle, Cantonment Railway Station Junction and H Siddaiah Circle—using a scientific, data-driven methodology that included traffic volume analysis, behavioural observations and road safety audits.
These locations were selected to represent different urban contexts, including administrative, transport hub and recreational zones, it said.
The analysis examined traffic movement patterns, pedestrian usage and crossing behaviour, and the role of road design and infrastructure in influencing traffic flow. It also identified opportunities to improve traffic efficiency through better planning and design.
The study recommended several low-cost engineering interventions such as improved lane channelisation, pedestrian refuge islands, optimised signal placement and enhanced signage to help improve traffic flow and road safety, the company said.
Bengaluru, one of India’s fastest-growing metropolitan cities, has over 14 million residents and more than 1.2 crore registered vehicles, placing significant pressure on road infrastructure and contributing to high congestion levels, the statement said.
As part of the initiative, a two-day training programme for Bengaluru Traffic Police officers was conducted on March 30 and 31 by Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE).
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru City, Karthik Reddy said Managing traffic in a city like Bengaluru requires a strong understanding of enforcement, road engineering, and on-ground realities.
Initiatives like this play an important role in strengthening the capacity of our officers and bringing valuable technical insights into day-to-day traffic management, he said.
"Greater coordination between planning, engineering, and enforcement agencies, along with a focus on both vehicular movement and pedestrian safety, will be key to improving traffic efficiency and making our roads safer for all."
Devashish Dasgupta, Corporate Relations Director, Diageo India (USL) said: " Through this collaboration with IRTE and Bengaluru Traffic Police, we are taking a science-based, data-driven approach to improving traffic flow and road safety. Starting with a pilot study across three key junctions and capacity building sessions, we aim to scale this initiative in a phased manner."
Headquartered in Bengaluru, Diageo India is among India's leading beverage alcohol companies, it claimed.
