Bengaluru (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said his party has extended full support to the central government in its actions against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack and that they will have to properly utilise it, take everyone into confidence, and move ahead.
The country is important and everyone will have to fight together to protect it and work for its welfare, he said, as he also expressed reservations about Prime Minister Narendra Modi skipping Thursday's all-party meeting that was convened to discuss the terror attack.
The terror attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 has left at least 26 people dead, including two from Karnataka.
"I have already said that he (PM) should have come (for the all-party meeting). Him not coming is not right...the country is important, religion, language come later. So all of us should fight together for the country. I have said it several times that we extend support to the government," Kharge said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "We will extend support. Properly utilise it. If they (Centre) take everyone into confidence, further steps will be easy. But going on criticising each other will not go well."
"Some people have already started it, it is not right. We have spoken about what was discussed in the meeting. Some people are speaking giving different meanings to it, which is not right...everything discussed at the meeting cannot be revealed in the interest of the country. I may be there or may go, similar is the case with Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, but the country will remain. So all of us should strive together for its welfare," he added.
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Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
