Not every Ram bhakt is a BJP supporter: Shashi Tharoor
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said that every 'Ram bhakt' was not a BJP supporter and he saw no reason why he or the grand old party should relinquish Lord Ram to the saffron party.
Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, said that there were many, including him, who are devotees of Lord Ram and if in future they go to the temple in Ayodhya it would be to express their devotion and not hurt anyone.
He said that secularism does not mean absence of religion, it means "pluralism" -- everyone can profess the religion of their choice.
Tharoor was speaking to reporters at the Government Law College here following a protest by the Students Federation of India (SFI) activists and fraternity members against him over his Lord Ram-related post on social media platform X.
The protestors called him "shameless", shouted slogans against him and also carried banners and placards one of which said -- 'Shashi Tharoor you are a disgrace to a democratic secular state.'
The Congress MP had posted a picture of the Lord Ram idol in Ayodhya along with a message in Hindi -- 'Siyavar Ram ki jai'.
Tharoor said the message he intended to send out through his post was his devotion to Ram and also the avoidance of Sita when hailing Ram.
"Therefore, there is no need to make it into such a big issue," he said.
Tharoor, who was invited to the college for an event by the Kerala Students Union (KSU), further said, "I do not see why I have to give up to the BJP a God I believe in and pray to every day?
"The BJP may want all Ram bhakts to vote for them. But is every Ram bhakt a BJP supporter? That is the question. In my opinion, they are not. I also ask why should the Congress relinquish Ram to the BJP? We can also accept and pray to God, we too have religion."
Tharoor further said that no one in the party was opposing the Ram Temple, "we were only opposed to the event."
"If I go to a temple, it is to pray and not for political reasons. Someday I will go to Ayodhya, but it will be on my terms," he said.
He also said that he had in the past too stated that while every Hindu may desire a Ram Temple at Ayodhya, "I have always maintained that there was no need to demolish a mosque to build it."
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Engine issue forces SWISS Delhi flight to abort takeoff; six passengers injured
New Delhi (PTI): A Zurich-bound Swiss International Air Lines' flight carrying 232 passengers aborted take off at the Delhi airport early Sunday due to an engine issue, sources said.
Six passengers are undergoing medical evaluation, an airline spokesperson said without elaborating.
Smoke was observed from the port side of one of the landing gears of the A330 aircraft that was operating the flight LX147 to Zurich. The flight crew aborted the take off and full emergency response was initiated, the sources said.
In a detailed statement, an airline spokesperson said there were 228 passengers and four infants on board.
"Shortly after takeoff, just after 1:00 am. local time in India, an issue occurred with one of the engines. The crew rejected the takeoff and, following an assessment of the situation, decided as a precaution to evacuate the aircraft," the spokesperson said.
Six passengers were receiving medical attention, the spokesperson added.
"All passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft via the emergency slides.Six passengers are currently undergoing medical evaluation. For a small number of individuals who were unable to use the slides, stairs were provided," the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, Swiss technical specialists will travel to Delhi to inspect the aircraft and initiate the next steps.
The airline is known as Swiss.
At the same time, the spokesperson said the airline was working intensively to find a swift and suitable onward travel solutions for all passengers.
