'Exercise utmost caution': India issues advisory as Israel, US bomb Iran
Jerusalem (PTI): India on Saturday issued an advisory for its citizens in Israel to “exercise utmost caution and remain vigilant at all times” after the country launched a joint attack with the US against Iran.
In its advisory, India said, “In view of the prevailing security situation in the region, all Indian nationals in Israel are advised to exercise utmost caution and remain vigilant at all times.”
"Indian nationals are strongly advised to strictly adhere to the safety guidelines and instructions issued by the Israeli authorities and the Home Front Command," the post on X said.
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"All Indian nationals should remain in close proximity to designated shelters and familiarise themselves with the nearest protected spaces in their area of residence or work," it said.
"Indian nationals are advised to avoid all non-essential and unnecessary travel within Israel until further notice. Citizens are encouraged to monitor local news, official announcements, and emergency alerts regularly," it added.
The Embassy remains closely engaged with the relevant authorities and will continue to issue updates as necessary," it added.
Israel launched a daylight attack Saturday on Iran's capital, with a cloud of smoke rising from the city's downtown. The first apparent strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"The State of Israel has launched a preemptive strike against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel," Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Home Front Command warned civilians to stay close to bomb shelters as sirens sounded across the country.
A message from the Home Front command said that “due to the security situation,” civilians should ensure they know what the optimal protected shelter near them is and avoid non-essential travel.
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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.
