Deeply saddened: PM Modi on bus accident involving Indian pilgrims in Medinah
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he was "deeply saddened" by the bus accident in Saudi Arabia's Medinah, in which several Indian Umrah pilgrims are feared dead.
Around 40 Indians, most of them hailing from Telangana, were on board the bus which reportedly collided with an oil tanker at around 1:30 am (IST).
"Deeply saddened by the accident in Medinah involving Indian nationals. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones," Modi said in a post on X.
"I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured," he said.
The prime minister said the Indian embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance and officials are also in close contact with Saudi Arabian authorities.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said he was "shocked and deeply saddened" by the tragic bus accident on the Medina-Mecca highway in Saudi Arabia that claimed the lives of Indian pilgrims.
"My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families," Rijiju said in a post on X.
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Ramdev criticises US, Israel over Iran war; video viral
New Delhi: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has sharply criticised the United States and Israel over their conflict with Iran, in a video from a television interview that has gone viral on social media.
Speaking on a show aired by ABP News, Ramdev was asked whether India should support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was reported to have been killed on the first day of the war on February 28.
Responding to the question, Ramdev said, “You can kill a person, but you cannot kill his ideas, his philosophy, his mindset, his spirit, or his valour and heroism.”
He went on to express support for Iran, saying he may not know much about the country but believes its people cannot be subdued. Referring to the Shia Muslim community, he said no one could make them “bow down” or defeat them, adding that a significant section of Iran’s population strongly identifies with Khamenei’s ideology.
When asked about Netanyahu, Ramdev criticised both him and US President Donald Trump, saying they are “both cut from the same cloth.” He added, “I am not calling anyone a thief; I am simply citing a proverb it implies that they are both of the same ilk, and I consider them both to be war criminals. I consider them criminals against humanity; I consider them criminals against nature and the environment.”
He further said that the United States and Israel have “erected a Himalaya-sized mountain of political mistrust” and claimed that both countries would have to face the consequences for decades. “In this conflict, neither can America and Israel emerge victorious, nor can Iran be defeated,” he said.
Ramdev’s remarks come at a time when India’s position on the conflict has drawn attention. The government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has maintained what it describes as “strategic autonomy” in foreign policy.
