Shia groups hold mourning meet near Bengaluru after Ayatollah Khamenei’s death
Bengaluru: Leaders and members of the Shia community gathered in Alipur village on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Sunday to mourn the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and announced a three-day period of mourning.
According to community representatives quoted by The Observer Post, prayers were offered in remembrance of Khamenei. Black flags were hoisted in the village as residents assembled to pay their respects. Speakers at the gathering condemned the reported joint strikes by the United States and Israel that led to his death, describing the development as concerning for Shia Muslims.
The confirmation of Khamenei’s death reportedly came during the intervening night of February 28 and March 1, after US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly confirmed the killing. The United States and Israel said they had carried out pre-emptive strikes on multiple locations in Iran, including Tehran. Israel named its military action Operation Lion’s Roar, while the United States termed its campaign Operation Epic Fury.
Following the development, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi lowered its flag to half-mast and issued a statement calling upon governments around the world to condemn the attack. The statement added that Iran would continue on its chosen path and warned of consequences for those responsible.
Mourning meetings and protests were also reported from parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Lucknow. The Jammu and Kashmir Shia Association expressed grief over Khamenei’s death and offered prayers for the people of Iran.
Speaking to reporters, Shia community leader Syed Samar Kazmi criticised the strike and alleged that Khamenei had been targeted for raising international issues, including Palestine. Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli, Chairman of the Islamic Centre of India, also condemned the attack and appealed for restraint, calling for international efforts to prevent further escalation.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
