Mayawati slams Congress, BJP; ridicules Modi's 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' campaign
Tirupati : BSP supremo Mayawati attacked the BJP and the opposition Congress, alleging that both the parties failed to address the problems of the weaker sections.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, she said the 'Chaiwala' who enacted a "new drama" of 'Chowkidar' would undoubtedly be rejected by the people in the coming elections.
Addressing an election meeting here Thursday, Mayawati lashed out at the Congress, saying the party, which ruled the country for 70 years, had miserably failed to ensure social justice and empowerment of the weaker sections of the society.
As a result, its rule had been rejected in many states and at the Centre as well, she said.
The BSP chief, who spoke in Hindi, claimed that the BJP was also following in the Congress' footsteps by ignoring the welfare of the weaker sections.
She alleged that aggressive approaches of the BJP and the RSS have created more problems for the weaker sections and minorities in the country.
The BSP is contesting three Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh as part of the electoral alliance with the Jana Sena led by Pawan Kalyan.
Kalyan, who was also present, said a special governing body headed by Andhra Pradesh chief minister would be constituted in the place of existing board of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that governs the Venkateswara temple if his party was voted to power.
"There is a dire need to protect the safety, serenity and sanctity of the ancient hill shrine with a body to be headed by none other than the chief minister of the state itself," the actor-turned-politician said.
He hit out at the YSR Congress Party led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and alleged that it was practising unruly politics.
Kalyan appealed to the people to vote for the nominees of the Jana Sena-BSP-left parties in the coming Lok Sabha and state assembly elections for better governance and to uplift the poor and downtrodden.
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Iran attacks oil tanker near Dubai; Trump warns of strikes on energy sites if Hormuz remains shut
Tel Aviv/Washington: Iran attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded crude oil tanker off Dubai on Monday after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would target Iran’s energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
According to a Reuters report, the Kuwait-flagged tanker Al-Salmi is owned by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and was capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of crude. . It was struck in what authorities later described as a drone attack. The company said the incident occurred early Tuesday, causing a fire and hull damage. No injuries were reported and the fire was brought under control, Dubai authorities said .
Oil prices rose briefly following the attack and added to volatility in global energy markets. In the United States, retail gasoline prices crossed $4 per gallon for the first time in more than three years, according to data from GasBuddy, as crude prices moved above $101 per barrel.
Israel said it carried out missile strikes on military infrastructure in Tehran and on sites linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah in Beirut. Explosions were reported in parts of Tehran, with Iran’s Tasnim news agency saying power outages occurred in the eastern Pirouzi district following the blasts.
The Israel Defense Forces said four soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. In recent days, three peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon were also killed in separate incidents in the same area.
Iran’s military spokesperson said Tehran’s latest wave of missile and drone strikes targeted US military positions at five bases in the region and sites in Israel. Thousands of troops from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the Middle East, according to US officials, expanding Washington’s military options even as diplomatic efforts continue.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Reuters Trump wants an agreement with Iranian leaders before a revised April 6 deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, adding that talks were progressing, while public statements from Tehran differed from private communications.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said proposals received through intermediaries were “unrealistic” and maintained that Iran was focused on defending itself.
In a social media post, Trump said that if a deal is not reached soon and the strait is not reopened, the US would strike Iran’s electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island. However, a report in The Wall Street Journal said Trump had told aides he may be willing to end the military campaign even if the strait remains largely closed and address reopening it later. The White House referred to earlier remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the strait would be opened “one way or another.”
The administration has also requested an additional $200 billion in funding for the conflict, a proposal that faces opposition in the US Congress.
