Congress candidate questions PM's understanding of mangalsutra significance
Uttara Kannada: Dr. Anjali Nimbalkar, the Congress candidate for the Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha Constituency, criticised the Prime Minister's remarks regarding the Mangalsutra during a campaign meeting in Hosur Janata Colony.
Addressing attendees at the Congress campaign meeting in Hosur Janata Colony, Dr. Anjali Nimbalkar expressed her disappointment with the Prime Minister's recent statements. She acknowledged the respect the Prime Minister receives as the Prime Minister but criticized his remarks, citing the legacies of past Prime Ministers such as Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh.
Nimbalkar highlighted the contributions of leaders like Rajiv Gandhi, who pioneered advancements in technology by providing mobile phones that are now being used for "WhatsApp university." Additionally, she credited Indira Gandhi for her impactful slogan of Garibi Hatao, which led to transition from "half chaddi" to "full chaddi".
During her speech at the Congress campaign meeting, Dr. Anjali Nimbalkar delved into the Ram Mandir issue in Ayodhya. She recalled that the decision to construct the Ram Mandir was initially made by the Supreme Court during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure as Prime Minister. Nimbalkar acknowledged the tensions and riots that ensued following the court's decision. She noted the recent verdict by the Supreme Court, which made way for the construction of the Ram Mandir while also allocating land for Muslims.
She expressed concern over the apparent shift from traditional practices in worship, highlighting the absence of Hanuman alongside Rama in BJP's campaign materials compared to the customary depiction of Rama-Sita-Lakshmana-Hanuman in temples.
Furthermore, she questioned the BJP's reinterpretation of history and religious traditions, advocating for the preservation of ancestral teachings and practices. Nimbalkar also spoke about the importance of respecting cultural heritage and criticised attempts to dictate worship practices.
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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.
