CM Siddaramaiah challenges PM Modi's statements on Congress manifesto
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has issued a strong response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comments regarding the Congress manifesto. Siddaramaiah welcomed Modi to Karnataka, referring to him as the "lord of lies," and urged him to introspect if he has a conscience. The CM posed several questions to Modi, demanding clarification on various statements made by him.
Siddaramaiah questioned Modi's assertion that the Congress party, if elected, would conduct a survey of the country's wealth and distribute it to Muslim families with seven children. He challenged Modi to provide evidence for this claim and asked for clarification on which page of the Congress manifesto this promise was made. He also demanded an apology from Modi if these accusations were found to be false.
Regarding the issue of inheritance tax, Siddaramaiah clarified that the Congress manifesto does not mention anything about imposing such a tax. He explained that while Sam Pitroda had mentioned the topic for discussion, it was not part of the party's official platform. Siddaramaiah pointed out that it was Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, a colleague of Modi, who had initiated discussions on inheritance tax. He questioned whether Sitharaman would now be labeled a traitor.
Siddaramaiah also criticized Modi's government for reducing corporate tax rates, which he claimed resulted in a loss of revenue amounting to Rs 1.81 lakh crore. He accused the government of favoring corporate entities over the welfare of the poor.
The Chief Minister highlighted the Congress party's commitment to conducting a social and economic survey in the country to ensure equal distribution of wealth, as envisioned by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. He accused Modi of distorting the Congress's goal of equitable wealth distribution and challenged him to openly declare if he opposes the constitutional ideals of economic and social democracy.
Siddaramaiah concluded by questioning Modi's policies on loan waivers for farmers and the privatization of public-owned enterprises. He accused Modi of favoring wealthy businessmen over the interests of farmers and the public.
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Israel launches first airstrike on Lebanon since ceasefire, accusing Hezbollah of breaching truce
Beirut, Nov 28: The Israeli military on Thursday said its warplanes fired on southern Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah activity at a rocket storage facility, the first Israeli airstrike a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold.
There was no immediate word on casualties from Israel's aerial attack, which came hours after the Israeli military said it fired on people trying to return to certain areas in southern Lebanon. Israel said they were violating the ceasefire agreement, without providing details. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said two people were wounded.
The back-to-back incidents stirred unease about the agreement, brokered by the United States and France, which includes an initial two-month ceasefire in which Hezbollah members are to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. The buffer zone would be patrolled by Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers.
On Thursday, the second day of a ceasefire after more than a year of bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon's state news agency reported that Israeli fire targeted civilians in Markaba, close to the border, without providing further details. Israel said it fired artillery in three other locations near the border. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
An Associated Press reporter in northern Israel near the border heard Israeli drones buzzing overhead and the sound of artillery strikes from the Lebanese side.
The Israeli military said in a statement that “several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire.” It said troops “opened fire toward them” and would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”
Israeli officials have said forces will be withdrawn gradually as it ensures that the agreement is being enforced. Israel has warned people not to return to areas where troops are deployed, and says it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the truce.
A Lebanese military official said Lebanese troops would gradually deploy in the south as Israeli troops withdraw. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
The ceasefire agreement announced late Tuesday ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that began a day after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, when the Lebanese Hezbollah group began firing rockets, drones and missiles in solidarity.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes, and the conflict steadily intensified for nearly a year before boiling over into all-out war in mid-September. The war in Gaza is still raging with no end in sight.
More than 3,760 people were killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon during the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel — over half of them civilians — as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon.
Some 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon, and thousands began streaming back to their homes on Wednesday despite warnings from the Lebanese military and the Israeli army to stay out of certain areas. Some 50,000 people were displaced on the Israeli side, but few have returned and the communities near the northern border are still largely deserted.
In Menara, an Israeli community on the border with views into Lebanon, around three quarters of homes are damaged, some with collapsed roofs and burnt-out interiors. A few residents could be seen gathering their belongings on Thursday before leaving again.
