Determined to ensure full rights for backward communities: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): A day after launching 'Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp', Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday asserted that no matter how many "lies and distractions" the BJP may perpetrate, the Mahagathbandhan is determined to ensure full rights for the extremely backward, Dalit, tribal, minority, and backward communities.
Gandhi on Wednesday reached out to the numerically powerful extremely backward classes (EBCs) of Bihar, promising, among other things, a law for protection against atrocities, on the lines of the SC/ST Act, if the INDIA bloc came to power in the state.
Gandhi's aggressive EBC outreach, days ahead of the announcement of assembly polls, came at an event titled, 'Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp' (pledge for justice to extremely backward classes).
The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, who was in Patna to attend the Congress Working Committee meeting, participated in the event along with the party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge and other Mahagathbandhan allies, including RJD's Tejashwi Yadav.
"No matter how many lies and distractions the BJP may perpetrate, we are determined to ensure the extremely backward, Dalit, tribal, minority, and backward communities receive their full rights," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
"To strengthen the most backward communities in Bihar and increase their participation, we have made concrete promises in the "Atipichhda Nyay Sankalp Patra," he said.
Education is the greatest means of progress for these communities, so there are special resolutions to increase their access in this area, the former Congress chief said.
Reservation will now be implemented in private colleges and universities, half of the reserved seats in private schools will be reserved for SC/ST/OBC/EBC children, and the unjust system of "Not Found Suitable" in appointments will end, Gandhi said.
"This is not just a fight for education, but it is a fight for equality and respect for the extremely backward communities. This is the guarantee of true social justice and equitable development," Gandhi asserted.
In his brief speech on Wednesday, Gandhi had read out the 10 resolves that promised welfare of EBCs in particular, and deprived castes, including SCs, STs and OBCs in general.
The EBCs, according to the caste survey conducted by the Nitish Kumar government a few years ago, comprise 36 per cent of the state's total population.
Besides an 'EBCs Prevention of Atrocities Act', the 10 resolves promised a rise in quotas for the EBCs in local bodies and panchayats, from the existing 20 per cent to 30 per cent.
Also promised is a total of 50 per cent quota for SCs, STs, OBCs and EBCs "in government contracts worth up to Rs 25 crore", "admissions to private educational institutions in the state" and "three decimals of land in urban areas and five decimals in rural areas" to landless families from the deprived castes.
The outreach by Gandhi marks an ambitious bid to make a dent in a support base that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U), has cultivated over the years.
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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.
