Assam Congress president apologises for 'love jihad', Lord Krishna parallel
Guwahati, Jul 28: Congress's Assam unit president Bhupen Bora on Friday apologised for drawing a parallel between 'love jihad' and Lord Krishna's relationship with Rukmini while commenting on the triple murder case in Golaghat.
On Monday, a 25-year-old man killed his wife and her parents over some family issues, and later surrendered before the police in Golaghat district. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been claiming that it was a case of 'love jihad' as the husband was Muslim and the wife a Hindu.
Reacting to it, Bora said, "All is fair in love and war. There are many stories in our ancient texts, including Krishna eloping with Rukmini, and the chief minister should not harp about marriages between people of different religions and communities in today's age."
As the comment drew sharp criticism from Sarma who warned that he may be arrested if a police case is filed, the Congress leader apologised.
"In a dream last night, my grandfather told me that the statement was wrong and it has hurt the people of the state," he told reporters.
"I have, therefore, decided to offer an earthen lamp and betel leaf and areca nut at a 'namghar' (Vaishnavite prayer hall) and seek forgiveness from the lord. I will do this not because I am scared of the chief minister or the BJP but as the people and the Sattradhikars (Vaishnav spiritual heads) have been hurt," he said.
Reacting to BJP's demand that he should not be allowed in 'namghars', Bora said the chief minister should rather "ask the police to kill me in an encounter".
"I am ready to sacrifice my life, and my family will not file any case but I should not be stopped from going to the prayer hall," he added.
Meanwhile, the BJP's youth wing BJYM filed police complaints in all the districts of the state against Bora.
Guwahati city BYJM president Nihar Ranjan Sharma filed a complaint at the Pan Bazaar police station, stating that he has hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
"Actually, he has made the statement as he is scared about the future of the party which is absolutely dark. We hope God gives him good sense and he changes for the better," Sharma said.
The chief minister had on Thursday criticised Bora's remarks and said, "We do not want to take the step of arresting people but if Lord Krishna is dragged into controversy, several 'sanatani' people will file cases in police stations and then how will I stop the police from taking action?"
"If someone files a case against a person for making such comments, he will be arrested," he said, without naming Bora.
'Love jihad' is a situation when a girl is forced to marry by changing her religion and Krishna did not force Rukmini to change her religion, he said.
The term 'love jihad' is used by right-wing groups to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
