'Shehzade' insulted Maharajas, but silent on atrocities by Nawabs: PM's attack on Rahul Gandhi
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of insulting India's Rajas and Maharajas, but remaining silent on the atrocities committed by Nawabs, Nizams, Sultans and Badshahs for the sake of appeasement politics.
Addressing a mega public meeting here, he said, "Congress has ensured the writings of our history and our freedom struggle with an eye on appeasement and vote bank. Even today, the Congress' shehzade (prince) is carrying forward that sin. You might have heard Congress' shehzade's recent statement -- he says Bharath's Rajas and Maharajas were atyachari (oppressive)," Modi said.
"He (Gandhi) has accused them (Rajas and Maharajas) of usurping the lands and properties of people and poor...Congress' shehzade has insulted great personalities like Chatrapati Shivajji Maharaj and Kittur Rani Channamma, whose administration and patriotism inspires us even today," the prime minister said.
Recalling the contribution of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family for which they are respected across the country even today, the PM said, "the Congress' shehzade statements were intentional, aimed at vote bank politics and appeasement."
"Shahzade spoke ill about Raja, Maharajas, but the shahzade's mouth was locked regarding the 'atyachar' that Nawabs, Nizams, Sultans and Badshas committed in India's history. His mouth was shut on them, but on Raja, Maharajas he speaks ill and insults them," he said.
Noting that Gandhi cannot remember Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's oppressions, Modi said, "he (Aurangzeb) impured a number of our temples and destroyed them. Congress is happily making alliances with parties that praise Aurangzeb...they don't remember people who destroyed our religious places, indulged in killing, killing of cows. They don't remember the Nawab, who played a role in the partition of India."
He further recalled the contributions of the Raja of Banaras in setting up Banaras Hindu University, and Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the reconstruction of temples.
"It was the Maharaja of Baroda who had identified the talent of Ambedkar...the Congress's shehzade doesn't remember the contributions of Rajas and Maharajas. For vote bank they show the guts of speaking against Rajas and Maharajas, but don't have strength to speak against Nawabs, sultans and Badshahs," he said adding that Congress' appeasement mindset has come out in the open before the country, and the same reflects in their manifesto.
Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, party's candidate from Belgaum (Belagavi) and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and Chikkodi candidate Annasaheb Shankar Jolle, were among those present.
Since the time Congress came to power in Karnataka, law and order situation in the entire state has worsened, Modi alleged, recalling the atrocity against an adivasi woman in Belagavi and killing of a Jain monk in Chikkodi. These incidents were shameful and degraded Karnataka's pride.
Citing the recent murder of a Hubballi student, Neha Hiremath, at her college premises that created "sensation" in the country, he said, the family sought action, but Congress government gave priority to appeasement. "For them, the lives of daughters like Neha have no value, they think only about their vote bank."
Even when there was a bomb blast in a Bengaluru's cafe, the Congress government did not take it seriously initially; they even termed it a cylinder blast. "Why are you -- Congress -- lying to the people of the country, if you can't, leave and go home."
The Congress for the sake of votes is taking support of banned PFI -- the anti national organisation that supported terrorism. "To win one seat in Wayanad, are you surrendering to them? BJP has banned PFI and has put its leaders behind bars." Modi said.
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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.
