“Some things must remain sacred or we become Taliban”
Anand Mahindra takes on Pragya Thakur over Godse remark
Mumbai: Industrialist Anand Mahindra Friday said Mahatma Gandhi's legacy is "sacred" to us, and equated attempts to damage the same with the Taliban militia's acts of destroying statues in Afghanistan.
Mahindra's comments in a tweet come amid a controversy stoked by BJP's Bhopal candidate Pragya Thakur, a terror accused, praising Gandhi's killer Nathuram Godse as a patriot.
"For 75 years, India's been the land of the Mahatma; a beacon when the world lost its morality. We used to be pitied for being poor but we were always rich since Bapu inspired billions globally," the outspoken industrialist, who chairs the diversified USD 20 billion group, said.
"Some things must remain sacred. Or we become the Taliban, destroying statues that sustain us," he said, without naming Pragya or referring explicitly top her comments.
The tweet was retweeted by over 6,000 users in a matter of hours, including by Niti Aayog chief executive Amitabh Kant.
During an election rally in Madhya Pradesh, Thakur had Thursday said "Godse was a patriot, is a patriot, and will remain a patriot. Those who call him a terrorist should look within they will get a reply in this election."
The remarks, a reaction to actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's comments calling Godse as the first Hindu terrorist, led to a widespread criticism, including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Thakur, who is facing trial in the Malegaon blast case that killed six people, has apologised for the statement.
Economist Rathin Roy, a member of the Prime Minister's economic advisory council, questioned if an apology is enough and called on all the political parties to come out against her statements.
"I must speak as a citizen. She abuses martyr Karkare, celebrates the assassin of Gandhi. She is a Lok Sabha Candidate? Politicians from all parties not mobilising to end this? Apology is enough? Your silence is complicity. Act together to save the republic. If you can," he said on the micro-blogging site.
For 75 yrs,India’s been the land of the Mahatma;a beacon when the world lost its morality.We used to be pitied for being poor but we were always rich since Bapu inspired billions globally.Some things must remain sacred.Or we become the Taliban,destroying statues that sustain us
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 17, 2019
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Trump’s fresh threat to bomb Iran amid reports of deal to end war
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Iran with more bombing if it doesn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz, amid a report that the warring sides were nearing an agreement to end the war.
US media outlet Axios reported, quoting US officials and two other sources, that the US and Iran were getting close to a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
The US expects Iranian responses on several key points over the next 48 hours, Axios reported, adding that nothing has been agreed yet. This was the closest the parties had been to an agreement since the war began.
"Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," Trump said.
According to Axios, the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the US agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
It said many of the terms laid out in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached, leaving the possibility of renewed war or an extended limbo in which the hot war has stopped, but nothing is truly resolved.
