Telangana CM's comments 'Cong means Muslims' kicks up row, BJP calls it 'highly objectionable'
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Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Thursday hit out at Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for his comments that "Congress means Muslims and Muslims means Congress", saying the grand old party is indulging in vote bank politics.
Rao further alleged that CM Reddy is "frustrated" and that the Congress is speaking the language of Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM.
"Maximum communal riots took place under Congress rule. So how can he say that Congress means Muslims? However, this is a communal thing, highly objectionable. I think the chief minister is frustrated because he is going to lose the election (Jubilee Hills bypoll). Therefore, he only wants Muslim votes, he is not thinking of the Hindu votes," the BJP leader told PTI.
Addressing a campaign rally here on Thursday, the CM criticised Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy for opposing the recent induction of former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin into the Council of Ministers.
What is Kishan Reddy's problem if a leader belonging to minorities was made a minister, he had asked.
"The Congress government provided many opportunities to minorities. It was only Congress that gave big posts to the minorities. Congress means Muslims and Muslims means Congress," Reddy had said.
Earlier, speaking to PTI Videos, Rao alleged that Reddy was indulging in Muslim appeasement to gain the votes of the community in the November 11 bypoll to Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency here.
Reddy, who was also wearing a cap, had become "Revanth Uddin" during his campaign, for the sake of votes of 20 per cent of Muslims, he claimed.
"It is clear that his (Reddy) comments are vote bank politics. He says Muslims get respect because of Congress. Congress did not ensure respect for Muslims. In fact, Congress hurts the respect of Muslims by treating them as vote bank. It is important whether Congress is ensuring education, medical facilities, livelihood opportunities and housing to Muslims or not," Rao said.
The BRS is also following the same policies and both parties are ignoring 80 per cent Hindus for the sake of 20 per cent votes of Muslims, he alleged.
The bypoll is necessitated due to the death of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath in June this year, following a heart attack.
While the BJP has fielded Deepak Reddy, Gopinath’s widow Sunita is the BRS candidate. The ruling Congress’ candidate is also supported by the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
