Will not attend Iftaar hosted by Nitish because of Waqf stance: Muslim body in Bihar
Patna, Mar 22 (PTI): A prominent Muslim body in Bihar on Saturday announced that it was turning down Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's invitation for 'Iftaar', in protest against his "support" for Waqf Bill.
The Imarat Shariah, which claims to have followers across Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, shared a copy of the letter in response to the invitation for the 'Iftaar' that is to be held at chief minister's residence on Sunday.
The letter says, "A decision has been taken not to attend the government (sarkaari) Iftaar on March 23.....this decision has been taken in view of your support for the Waqf Bill, which threatens to worsen economic and educational backwardness of Muslims".
"You rose to power promising a secular (dharm-nirapeksh) rule in which minorities' rights were protected. But your alliance with the BJP and your support for a legislation that is unconstitutional and illogical, militates against your stated commitments", alleged the Imarat Shariah.
Describing the Iftaar organised by the chief minister as "tokenism", the Imarat Shariah added, "Your government's indifference towards concerns of Muslims render meaningless such formal gatherings".
There was no immediate response to the development from Kumar or his party JD(U), which has always banked on a slice of Muslim votes, cashing in on "secular" credentials of the leader.
The party shares power with the BJP at the Centre as well as the state, where assembly polls are due later this year.
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Trump’s fresh threat to bomb Iran amid reports of deal to end war
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Iran with more bombing if it doesn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz, amid a report that the warring sides were nearing an agreement to end the war.
US media outlet Axios reported, quoting US officials and two other sources, that the US and Iran were getting close to a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
The US expects Iranian responses on several key points over the next 48 hours, Axios reported, adding that nothing has been agreed yet. This was the closest the parties had been to an agreement since the war began.
"Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," Trump said.
According to Axios, the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the US agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
It said many of the terms laid out in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached, leaving the possibility of renewed war or an extended limbo in which the hot war has stopped, but nothing is truly resolved.
