Uma Bharti links crime against women in MP to drinking
pushes for converting liquor shops into cow shelters
Bhopal, Jan 31: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Uma Bharti on Tuesday sought to link rise in cases of crime against women in Madhya Pradesh, ruled by her party, to consumption of alcohol and pushed for converting liquor outlets which are being operated in violation of rules into cow shelters.
Ending her four-day-long stay at a temple in Bhopal, Bharti announced the launch of "Madhushala Me Gaushala" (cow shelters in place of liquor outlets) programme in support of her demand for a "controlled" liquor policy in the state.
On Saturday afternoon, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister reached a temple located near a liquor shop in Ayodhya Nagar trisection of the state capital and announced she will stay there till January 31, awaiting announcement of a new liquor policy by the government.
She ended her four-day-long stay at the temple on Tuesday as the state government has delayed its liquor policy announcement.
Addressing the media here, Bharti claimed a liquor shop located near the famous Ram Raja Sarkar temple at Orchha in Niwari district, located around 350km from Bhopal, was illegal.
"Without waiting for the liquor policy, I will start converting liquor shops, which are being run in contravention of rules, into cow shelters," she said.
Bharti said she has told people to arrange 11 cows to be put up outside the "illegal" liquor shop in Orchha.
"Will see who dares to stop me... will feed these cows and arrange water for them at the liquor shop," said the former Union minister.
Governments are being formed in the name of Lord Ram, but a liquor shop has been allowed to come up near the Ram Raja Sarkar temple in Orchha, she said.
Quoting an unnamed report, Bharti said the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh is leading in crime against women and liquor consumption was one of the reasons for this disturbing trend.
Bharti said the BJP is winning elections due to the "magic" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"People have the choice to elect good or bad people in a democracy When one has a choice between bad and very bad, the people elect the bad, which is not an achievement... Forming a government is not a big deal but the big thing is to develop a healthy society and ensure protection of women and the future of children," the BJP leader maintained.
She alleged a section of the BJP has been trolling her over her drive against liquor consumption and linking it to her political ambitions.
Bharti said she has held the post of CM, served as a Union minister and now only the position of Prime Minister is left to be achieved, but very few politicians can occupy that top office.
"Will I get that post (of PM) due to liquor prohibition agitation? A section of the BJP is spreading such things," she said.
Bharti also threatened that she will start now revealing what the ministers, MPs and MLAs talk to her during as such people are continuously meeting her.
The senior BJP leader said during a meeting with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the latter agreed to her suggestion to come out with a "controlled" liquor policy.
Earlier, addressing a gathering, Bharti claimed women don't want schemes like the recently announced Ladli Bahina Yojana (targeted at women from financially weaker section) but they instead want a controlled liquor policy.
Bharti said women roam freely at night in Gujarat like "lioness of Gir" and eat 'bhelpuri' (a street snack) at midnight because prohibition is in force in the adjoining state.
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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.
