24 killed as gunmen open fire on Iranian military parade
Tehran, Sep 22: At least 24 people, including civilians were killed and over 50 injured when gunmen disguised as soldiers opened fire on an elite military parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz on Saturday.
The dead and wounded were both military personnel and civilians, including a journalist watching the parade, IRNA news agency reported. The attackers opened fire on the parade at 9 a.m. from a nearby park in an assault that lasted around 10 minutes.
The parade was part of nationwide celebrations in Iran to mark the 30th anniversary since the end of the eight-year war with Iraq that started in September 1980 and ended in August 1988.
"The terrorists disguised as Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and Basiji (volunteer) forces opened fire to the authority and people from behind the stand during the parade," said Governor of Khuzestan Gholam-Reza Shariati, according to IRNA.
The separatist group the Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz claimed responsibility for this attack.
The group is supported by "foreign antagonists," including Saudi Arabia, the agency said.
Three of the attackers were gunned down during clashes with the security forces and one other arrested, news agencies reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed "a foreign regime" backed by the US for the attack. "Terrorists recruited, trained, armed and paid by a foreign regime have attacked Ahvaz," he said in a tweet, adding: "Iran holds regional terror sponsors and their US masters accountable for such attacks."
Earlier, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani used the occasion of the military parade to compare US President Donald Trump to the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, according to Press TV.
Speaking at a military rally in Tehran, he said Trump will fail in the "economic and psychological war" he's launched against Iran, just as Hussein failed in his 8-year war against the Islamic Republic".
"Iran will neither abandon its defensive weapons nor will reduce its defence capabilities," Rouhani said.
"Rather it will increase its defence power day by day. The fact that they are angry at our missiles shows that these are the most influential weapons Iran has."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Telangana govt rejects Adani's Rs 100 cr donation for skills university
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government will not accept the Rs 100 crore CSR donation committed by industrialist Gautam Adani for the Young India Skills University being set up in the state.
The CM's announcement came days after the indictment of the Adani Group chairman in a US court.
In a letter to Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, the state government's Special Chief Secretary (Industries) Jayesh Ranjan said he has been "instructed by the chief minister not to seek the transfer of funds in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies".
While thanking Priti Adani for committing Rs 100 crore to the skills university, the official said the state government has so far not asked any of the donors for physical transfer of funds since the university had not received the IT exemption under Section 80 G. However, the IT exemption order has now been received recently.
Addressing a press conference here, Revanth Reddy said the decision was taken as the Congress government does not want to find itself in any unwarranted controversy amid the allegations against the Adani Group.
He said so far the Telangana government has not accepted a single rupee into its account from any organisation, including Adani Group, for the skills university being established to promote employment avenues for youth.
"I and my Cabinet colleagues do not want to be involved in unnecessary discussions and situations that would dent Telangana's image or my own," Reddy said.
Gautam Adani met the chief minister here on Octrober 18 and symbolically handed over a cheque for Rs 100 crore towards donation to the skills university.
Asked about the comments of BRS that the government should cancel the Adani Group's investment proposals in the state, Reddy said the government will have to take legal opinion for cancellation of any agreements as the other party can go to courts against unilateral termination of pacts.
On BRS working president K T Rama Rao's comments that the previous BRS regime did not allow Adani Group into the state, Reddy displayed photographs of former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Rama Rao with Gautam Adani to the mediapersons.
He also read out a list of Adani Group's investment proposals reportedly approved by the BRS government.
"Is he (Rama Rao) ready for a probe on these," Reddy asked.
When pointed out that the state government discussed investment proposals with the Adani Group though Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions on Adani for several years now, he said Congress is not against any investment proposal or corporate house but crony capitalism and violation of rules.
It is his responsibility to follow his leader when the latter is raising his voice on an issue, Reddy said.
