Prashant Kishor calls Bihar a “failed state," urges Bihari diaspora to contribute
Washington: Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor described Bihar as a "failed state" during a virtual interaction with the Bihari diaspora in the United States. He emphasised the urgent need for comprehensive efforts to address the state's developmental challenges.
Speaking at the launch of the US chapter of Jan Suraaj, Kishor expressed confidence in his party's ability to secure victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. He pledged to lift the prohibition on alcohol and use the resulting revenue to improve school education.
Highlighting the grim situation in Bihar, Kishor remarked, "If Bihar were a country, it would rank as the 11th largest globally by population. The state is in deep crisis and requires sustained commitment for at least five to six years to achieve meaningful change."
Kishor also pointed out societal despair as a significant obstacle to progress. "When people lose hope, immediate survival overshadows all other concerns," he said. However, he expressed optimism, citing the groundwork laid by Jan Suraaj over the past two and a half years.
Acknowledging the long road ahead, Kishor stated, "Even with a government in place by 2025 and consistent efforts, transforming Bihar into a middle-income state by 2029-30 would be a significant achievement."
Addressing the diaspora, Kishor criticised their limited contribution to Bihar's development, urging them to mobilise support for Jan Suraaj. "I have not seen tangible efforts on the ground beyond discussions. It’s time to act," he said.
Despite Jan Suraaj's recent setbacks in the Bihar bypolls, Kishor maintained confidence in his party’s prospects, reiterating his commitment to prioritising education and long-term development strategies.
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Trump warns he's considering limited strikes as Iranian diplomat says proposed deal is imminent
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump warned on Friday that limited strikes against Iran are possible even as the country's top diplomat said Tehran expects to have a proposed deal ready in the next few days following nuclear talks with the United States.
In response to a reporter's question on whether the US could take limited military action as the countries negotiate, Trump said, “I guess I can say I am considering that.” Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a TV interview that his country was planning to finalise a draft deal in “the next two to three days” to then send to Washington.
“I don't think it takes long, perhaps, in a matter of a week or so, we can start real, serious negotiations on the text and come to a conclusion,” Araghchi said on MSNOW's “Morning Joe” show.
The tensions between the longtime adversaries have ramped up as the Trump administration pushes for concessions from Iran and has built up the largest US military presence in the Middle East in decades, with more warships and aircraft on the way. Both countries have signalled that they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran's nuclear programme fizzle out.
“We are prepared for war, and we are prepared for peace,” Araghchi said Friday.
Trump said a day earlier that he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reach a deal following recent rounds of indirect negotiations, including this week in Geneva, that made little visible progress. But the talks have been deadlocked for years, and Iran has refused to discuss wider US and Israeli demands that it scale back its missile program and sever ties to armed groups.
Araghchi also said Friday that his American counterparts have not asked for zero enrichment of uranium as part of the latest round of talks, which is in contradiction to what US officials have said.
"What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran's nuclear programme, including enrichment, is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever," he said.
He added that in return Iran will implement some confidence-building measures in exchange for relief on economic sanctions.
In response to Araghchi's claim, a White House official said Trump has been clear that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them and that it cannot enrich uranium. The official wasn't authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Tehran has long insisted that any negotiations should only focus on its nuclear programme and that it hasn't been enriching uranium since US and Israeli strikes last June on Iranian nuclear sites. Trump said at the time that the strikes had “obliterated” Iran's nuclear sites, but the exact damage is unknown as Tehran has barred international inspectors.
Iran has also insisted that its nuclear programme is peaceful. The US and others suspect it is aimed at eventually developing weapons.
