Smriti Irani lampoons Congress' 'will protect democracy' assertion
Chennai (PTI): Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday lashed out at the Congress over its assertion to protect democracy, asking how it was possible with the party "taking" the support of SDPI, the political arm of the banned PFI, besides being in alliance with the DMK which she said was "renowned for burning the Constitution."
Campaigning for the BJP's North Chennai candidate RC Paul Kanagaraj, for the April 19 Lok Sabha polls, she also slammed the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu over its leaders' alleged anti-Sanatana Dharma comments.
"Today I stand in a state that is renowned for its spiritual power...which is renowned for our culture and that is why the nation is outraged when DMK leaders attack Sanatana Dharma, when the DMK leaders try to bring disrepute to the Hindu religion and today they stand exposed in front of the country when they speak about India and Indianness," she said.
She also slammed the Congress.
"Today, the Congress party says they want to protect democracy. My question to the Congress party is this--how will you protect democracy with the DMK which is renowned for burning Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution," she said, in an apparent reference to the Dravidian party allegedly burning copies of the Constitution in the late 1980s during an anti-Hindi agitation.
She claimed that the Congress party says that after the elections, the country will be set "afire."
"The question arises for every citizen--when the Congress party, even after colossal losses, has the arrogance to threaten the country, can such a Congress party protect democracy in India."
"The Congress today to fight election even in a state like Kerala takes support of banned terrorist organisation PFI's political leadership (SDPI). The question for people to consider is this--Congress party and the INDI alliance that take the support of terrorist organisation's political leadership, can they protect democracy in this country," she asked.
She also questioned if the opposition INDIA bloc can name its Prime Ministerial candidate while the the NDA's pick was the incumbent PM Narendra Modi.
"Today BJP can proudly say our agenda is Viksit Bharat, developed India. Can the INDI alliance say what is their alliance's agenda for India. Indi alliance has no neta (leader), no neeti (policy) and we know they have the neeyat (motive) to loot the country," she alleged.
Vote for BJP meant vote for democracy and development, she said.
"If you want a dynasty to lose and merit to win, vote for BJP. Vote for your family, not their family, vote for BJP because the country wants Modi again," she said.
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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.
