FIR against MLA Harish Poonja for threatening police at Belthangady
Belthangady: A case has been registered at Belthangady Police station against MLA Harish Poonja for using vulgar words to abuse and humiliate the police inspector and the department at Belthangady on Tuesday. Poonja is also accused of leveling serious threats at the police personnel by saying that the station would meet the same fate as the police station at DJ Halli-KJ Halli, a reference to 2020 Bangalore riots.
MLA Harish Poonja had led a protest in front of the Belthangady Vikas Soudha, without taking any police permission, against the arrest of rowdy sheeter Shashiraj Shetty, in connection with an illegal stone quarry near Melanthabettu.
During the protest Poonja had allegedly said that, to protect arrested BJP workers, he would ‘hold the collars’ of police and threatened that the same fate as the DJ Halli-KJ Halli police station would be meted out to the Belthangady station. The two-time MLA is also accused of using abusive words against the department and the police personnel. During the protest, public could not access the services of the taluk office, sources said. A case has been registered against the MLA with serial no 58/2024 under the IPC column 143, 147, 34, 504, 506 and 149, the Police Superintendent stated.
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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.
