CM Kumaraswamy fumes over political satire shows, says there is need to bring in law
Bengaluru, May 19: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday slammed news channels over "belittling" of politicians on their satire programmes, saying he felt there was a need to bring in a law to regulate them.
Addressing a public meeting in Mysuru, he also slammed sections of media for raising doubts about the longevity of the JDS-Congress coalition government headed by him and asserted it would continue with the "good wishes" of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
"What do you think of politicians? You think that we are so easily available to be mocked? Who has given you powers to present everything sarcastically," Kumaraswamy asked the channels.
"Whom are you trying to favour by belittling us among the masses? I feel the need to bring in a law," he added.
Stating that the coalition government led by him was stable, Kumaraswamy said it had the blessings of Congress leaders.
"This government will not go so easily as is being projected that soon after the election results on May 23 (the government would fall). It will continue with the good wishes of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and (former chief minister) Siddaramaiah," he said.
"We are not surviving because of media but because of 6.5 crore people of the state. I am not scared of them (media) at all. I don't care... If I see all the episodes of their stories in the electronic media, I will lose sleep," he said.
Kumaraswamy criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his pilgrimage to Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines.
"When we go to shrines, it is called Temple Run but they (news channels) are clueless when Modi goes to Badrinath (Kedarnath)," he said.
"They said it was not for elections ...then what it was for? Didn't he sit there because his vote share is shrinking? If not that, then what else is the reason for sitting there meditating on Shiva," the chief minister asked.
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Trump says he called off dispatching envoys to Iran talks
Dubai (PTI): US President Donald Trump said he told his top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner not to travel to Pakistan to negotiate with Iran, stating on Fox News that "they can call us any time they want”.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports. Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade,” to allow a new round of negotiations, according to the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies in Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Araghchi is expected back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday.
Trump said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House. The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries this month. The initial 10-day ceasefire had been due to expire Monday.
The Trump administration is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil.
The move announced Friday is part of the administration's threat to impose secondary sanctions on entities doing business with Iran in an effort to cut off Iran's oil exports, which are a key source of its revenue.
Airlines worldwide have begun cancelling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices. Experts have offered information to travelers about what to do if a flight is cancelled.
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports, according to Iranian media.
Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade”, to allow a new round of negotiations, the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies reported.
The Pakistani premier described the call as a “warm and constructive discussion”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded a one-day trip to Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Saturday after meeting with Pakistani military and government officials.
The trip did not produce a breakthrough in efforts to relaunch negotiations after US President Donald Trump canceled a planned trip by his envoys to Islamabad.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will return to Pakistan after his current visit to Oman on his way to visiting Russia.
The report said he was expected to be back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday and would join other members of his delegation who had gone to Tehran for consultations and “instructions on the topics related to the end of the war.”
