Karnataka BJP terms Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's statement "anti-national"
Bengaluru: Terming Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's statement that Kannadidgas may find it difficult to do business in Mumbai as "anti-Kannadiga" and "anti-national", Karnataka BJP on Tuesday took a dig at the state Congress leaders for their "silence" on the issue.
Congress is part of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVH) government in Maharashtra.
Urging Uddhav Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra to set up an office in Belagavi in Karnataka, Raut on Sunday claimed that when Marathi-speaking people are attacked in this border district, Shiv Sainiks retaliate by vandalising transport buses belonging to Karnataka coming into their state.
The Rajya Sabha member went on to warn that if such an incident happened in Mumbai, then it would be "difficult for Kannadigas here (Mumbai) to conduct their trade and business," but then added that "no one should go to that level".
Referring to Raut's statement that Kannadigas may find it difficult to do business in Mumbai, Karnataka BJP tweeted: "As India fights Corona, it is shocking to see Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut making anti-national remarks".
"Will Siddaramaiah (Leader of Opposition in Karnataka) and D K Shivakumar (state Congress President) condemn this anti-kannadiga statement by their alliance partner in Maharashtra? Will they ask Sonia Gandhi to withdraw from the MVA alliance?" it asked.
Member of Parliament from Bengaluru South Tejasvi Surya too said, Karnataka Congress' silence on the issue shows "their love for power is more than love for Karnataka".
"Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress govt (in Maharashtra) is proving to be disgrace to the country everyday.
When the country has to stand united in the hour of distress, MVP leaders are dividing people on issues of language," he tweeted.
Maharashtra claims certain areas, including Belagavi, Karwar and Nippani which are part of Karnataka, contending that the majority of population in these areas is Marathi- speaking.
On its part, as an assertion that Belagavi is an integral part of the state, Karnataka has built the 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha', modeled on the Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat in Bengaluru, where the legislature session is generally held once a year.
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In phone call, PM Modi, US President Trump resolve to promote global peace, security
New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to work towards a "trusted" partnership between India and US and advance global peace and security in their first phone conversation since the American leader's inauguration last week.
Modi and Trump exchanged views on global issues, including the situation in West Asia and Ukraine, and deliberated on measures to boost bilateral cooperation in areas such as technology, trade, investment, energy and defence, an Indian readout said.
The two leaders agreed to meet soon, it said.
"Delighted to speak with my dear friend President @realDonaldTrump @POTUS.
Congratulated him on his historic second term," Modi said on 'X'.
"We are committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership. We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security," he said.
In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the two leaders "reaffirmed" their commitment for a "mutually beneficial and trusted partnership".
"They discussed various facets of the wide-ranging bilateral Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and measures to advance it, including in the areas of technology, trade, investment, energy and defence," it said.
"The two leaders exchanged views on global issues, including the situation in West Asia and Ukraine, and reiterated their commitment to work together for promoting global peace, prosperity and security," the PMO said.
"The leaders agreed to remain in touch and meet soon at an early mutually convenient date," it added.
It is not immediately known whether the issues of immigration and tariff figured in the talks.
Like in many countries, there have been some concerns in India as well over the Trump administration's approach on immigration and tariff.
President Trump has already talked about slapping "100 per cent tariffs" on the BRICS grouping, a bloc that includes India too.
It is learnt that the phone call was initiated from the Indian side.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week that India is looking for "bolder, bigger and a more ambitious" relationship with the US and indicated its readiness to work with the Trump administration to address issues like illegal immigration and trade.
The phone conversation between Modi and Trump came six days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held separate meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in Washington.
Jaishankar also attended the Quad foreign ministers' meeting in the American capital. The meeting was the Trump administration's first foreign policy engagement.
At a media briefing in Washington on January 22, Jaishankar said his meetings signalled that the Trump administration "prioritising" the bilateral relationship with India.
The external affairs minister also said that there was agreement between the two sides about the need to be bolder, bigger, and more ambitious about the bilateral relationship.
Asked about the Trump administration's policy on tariff and immigration, Jaiswal said on Friday that India is looking at addressing issues in a constructive manner.
"Our approach has always been to address issues in a constructive manner which is in keeping with the interests of both countries," he had said at his weekly media briefing last week.
"We remain in close communication with the US administration and would like to continue to work towards strengthening our economic partnership further," he said.
India is also keen to continue cooperation under the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) that was launched during the tenure of the Biden administration.
