Amit Shah faces black-flag protest in Kolkata
Kolkata, Aug 11 : West Bengal Youth Congress workers on Saturday showed BJP President Amit Shah black flags as he stepped outside the airport here ahead of his high-voltage rally in the city.
A group of bike-borne Youth Congress workers waved the black flags before Shah's convoy outside the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport and shouted slogans against him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, before the police could remove them from the spot.
Some Congress activists also claimed that there was a nexus between the BJP and West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress and raised slogans like "Modi-Didi bhai bhai".
Ahead of Shah's rally in central Kolkata's Mayo Road, Trinamool Congress supporters observed Condemnation Day in parts of the state to raise its pitch against the publication of the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.
Reacting to the TMC protest, BJP leader and Union Minister Babul Supriyo accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party of destroying the state's culture and the future of Bengal's youth.
"Politics is fine but they (Trinamool Congress) are turning it into an ugly spat. Trinamool has further worsened the situation in Bengal in the name of 'Poriborton' (change) from the 34 years of Left rule.
"This should not continue. The massive turnout in today's rally shows that the youth of Bengal are eagerly waiting for the message of Amit Shahji," said Supriyo, who came to the city to attend Saturday's rally.
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PM Modi speaks to Iranian president, discusses 'serious' situation in West Asia
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and discussed the "serious situation" in West Asia.
Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.
The prime minister told the Iranian President that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities.
“Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region. Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure,” Modi said in a post on X.
The prime minister also reiterated India's commitment to peace and stability and urged dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis.
The prime minister had spoken to leaders of several West Asian countries in the last 10 days in the wake of the coordinated offensive launched against Iran by the United States and Israel, in which the Islamic country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed last month.
In retaliation, Iran has fired drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf region, including the global business and aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha.
Modi earlier spoke to the leaders of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel and Qatar, and expressed concern over the attacks on their countries, and condemned the violation of some nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing in those countries.
Around 1 crore Indians live in the Gulf and West Asia. While about 10,000 Indian citizens live, study and work in Iran, more than 40,000 live in Israel.
