Union minister alleges West Bengal govt didn't allow him to hoist national flag
Kolkata (PTI): Union Minister Subhas Sarkar alleged that he was "not allowed" to hoist the national flag by the West Bengal government at a correctional home in Paschim Medinipur district as part of the Centre's 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' initiative.
He claimed that state government officials were intimated about his visit to the Midnapore Central Correctional Home but he found no arrangements were made to hoist the tricolour there.
"When I stepped into the premises, I found no arrangements were made to hoist the national flag. It shows the West Bengal government's apathy and indifference towards the sacrifice of our heroes," he told reporters outside the jail compound on Saturday.
The TMC said the allegation was ridiculous.
Sarkar, the Union minister of state for education, said he would not blame the correctional home authorities as they followed the directives of the state government and there was apparently no communication about the August 13 programme.
"Despite all official communication, including my telephonic talk with the chief secretary, I was not given permission to celebrate the event and pay my tributes to the martyrs of West Bengal at the Midnapore Central Jail," he posted on Facebook.
'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' is being celebrated to mark the 75 years of Independence.
TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said that Sarkar created the controversy to show the state government in poor light as everywhere in the state, arrangements are made to hoist the tricolour.
"We should not learn about patriotism or how to show respect to the country's freedom fighters from the BJP," he added.
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China confirms its support to Pakistan during four-day conflict with India
Beijing (PTI): China, for the first time, has confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India last year, official media reports here said.
China's state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.
Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.
Pakistan's air force operates a fleet of Chinese-made J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary.
"At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically,” Zhang said.
What drove his team was the "desire to do an even better job with on site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”, Zhang told CCTV.
“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” he said.
