Karnataka: PFI demands action againt Sangh Parivar activists for wielding weapons at public places
Bengaluru: Popular Front of India (PFI) on Wednesday held a press conference demanding action against Sangh Parivar activists who wielded weapons like swords during their rallies across the state on Vijaya Dashami day. The press conference was held at Press Club Bengaluru.
As a part of Vijaya Dashami celebrations, right-wing groups including Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had organised rallies wherein their activists were seen flaunting swords and other weapons, calling it “Hindu Shakti Sangam”.
During the press conference, the organization called for immediate action by the police department and filing of suo-moto case against the organizations.
“On the said occasion, throughout Udupi's main streets, there were public displays of firearms, rifles, and other weapons in public places; this was witnessed in Belagavi's Brahma Nagar's Hanuman Mandir, Bijapur, Davanagere, Gadag's Naragunda, etc. In the Dakshina Kannada district, the tridents were distributed among Bajrang Dal activists,” a press statement from PFI stated.
“It is appalling to witness that an accused- who had involved in a stabbing case has been conferred a trident. Among them, the programs ruthlessly provoked hate-mongering speeches and fueled the prejudices against the Muslim community, and have delivered the ultimatum of demolition of their religious institutions. There's a spine-chilling fact that there is a conspiracy to create division among religions and create unrest in society. In the meantime, the police have filed a weak case in order to quell the outrage over the incident of a public rally in Belgaum. Despite the video evidence, no strict action has been initiated against the culprits. The police's soft stand towards the Sangh Parivar has encouraged unrest among the public. It is becoming crystal clear that the BJP government led by Chief Minister Bommai, who defended the Sangh Parivar, has backed the police department the responsibility of protection of the accused,” the statement added while questioning the role of the police department in maintaining law and order situation in the state.
“Amid all these dangerous developments, the recent atrocities against the Muslim community in the state are terrifying. The brutal murder of a youth named Arbaaz in Belagavi, deadly assault on a student in Ilkal taluk of Bagalkot, threats to demolish historic Masjids in Gadag, etc are transforming into daily norms. Hate speeches delivered by the leaders of Sangh Pariwar, criticism of Prophet, etc; in addition to all the dangerous developments- the lawmakers are supporting them either directly or indirectly. Finally, the Sangh Parivar has garnished their ideology by distributing the swords, cudgels, and other deadly weapons among their activists during the Shobha Yatra!!” it further added.
“It is illegal to perform a demonstration of weapons in public places. The police department should have considered such malicious programs that create fear among the minorities, particularly in the Muslim community. It's insane to veil the incidents by filing weak cases against culprits. The organizers of the event and the activists must be held guilty for their acts. The Chief Minister of the State should intervene and ensure that such incidents do not recur in the near future. Else, 'Popular Front of India' will revolt ferociously throughout the state,” PFI state secretary AK Ashraf said during the press conference.
Ilyas Muhammad, Zonal President, Popular Front of India, Bangalore, and Abdul Razak Kemmara, State Leader, Popular Front of India, Karnataka were also present during the press conference.
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Republicans going public with their growing worries about Trump's tariffs
Washington (AP): Manufacturers struggling to make long-term plans. Farmers facing retaliation from Chinese buyers. US households burdened with higher prices.
Republican senators are confronting the Trump administration with those worries and many more as they fret about the economic impact of the president's sweeping tariff strategy that went into effect Wednesday.
In a Senate hearing and interviews with reporters this week, Republican skepticism of President Donald Trump's policies ran unusually high. While GOP lawmakers made sure to direct their concern at Trump's aides and advisers — particularly US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who appeared before the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday — it still amounted to a rare Republican break from a president they have otherwise championed.
Lawmakers had reason to worry: the stock market has been in a volatile tumble for days and economists are warning that the plans could lead to a recession.
"Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong?” Republican Sen. Thom Tillis told Greer as he pressed for an answer on which Trump aide to hold accountable if there is an economic downturn.
Tillis' frustration was aimed at the across-the-board tariff strategy that could potentially hamstring U.S. manufacturers who are currently dependent on materials like aluminum and steel from China. His home state of North Carolina, where he is up for reelection next year, has attracted thousands of foreign firms looking to invest in the state's manufacturing industries.
Ever wary of crossing Trump, Republicans engaged in a delicate two-step of criticizing the rollout of the tariffs then shifting to praise for the president's economic vision. In the afternoon, Tillis in a Senate floor speech said that the “president is right in challenging other nations who have for decades abused their relationship with the United States," yet went on to question who in the White House was thinking through the long-term economic effects of the sweeping tariffs.
Tillis even allowed that Trump's trade strategy could still turn out to be effective, but said there is a short window to show that it is worth the higher prices and layoffs that will burden workers.
For his part, Greer emphasised to the committee that the US was engaged in negotiations with other countries but that “the trade deficit has been decades in the making, and it's not going to be solved overnight.”
Republican leaders in Congress, as well as a sizeable chunk of lawmakers, have emphasized that Trump needs time to implement his strategy. They've mostly rejected the idea of putting a check on Trump's tariff power, but it is clear that anxiety is growing among rank-and-file Republicans about what's ahead.
Sen James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican, said there is a company in his state that had spent “millions of dollars" moving its parts production from China to Vietnam. But now that Vietnam is facing steep tariffs, the business is unable to move forward with negotiating prices with retailers.
Lankford pressed Greer for a timeline for negotiations, but the trade representative responded, “We don't have any particular timeline. The outcome is more important than setting something artificially for us.”
Trade agreements between countries typically take months or even years to work out and often require the parties to navigate through a host of legal, economic and business issues. Still, Republicans said they were encouraged by the indications that Trump is entering into negotiations with other nations.
Sen. Steve Daines, a Montana Republican, said at the committee hearing that he was “very encouraged” by news of trade negotiations and attributed a momentary upward tick in the stock market to “hope that these tariffs are a means and not solely an end.”
He told Greer, "Who pays these high tariffs? It will be the consumer. I'm worried about the inflationary effect. I'm worried if there is a trade war that we're going to have markets shutting down for American farmers, ranchers and manufacturers.”
Other GOP lawmakers contended that the pain was worth bearing. Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said the president is on the right track.
“It's pain, but it's going to be,” he said. “The president will make the right call. He's doing the right thing.”
Still, traditional Republicans were looking for ways to push back on Trump's tariff plan.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, a senior Republican, has introduced a bipartisan bill to give Congress the power to review and approve of new tariffs, and Republican members in the House were also working to gain support for a similar bill. Such legislation would allow Congress to claw back some of its constitutional power over tariff policy, which has been almost completely handed over to the president in recent decades through legislation.
But the White House has already indicated that Trump would veto the bill, and both Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have said they are not interested in bringing it up for a vote.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a Republican closely aligned with Trump, said on social media that the bill was a bad idea because “Congress moves at the pace of a tortoise running a race.”
“The reason why Congress gave this authority to the president to begin with is because the ability to pivot,” he added.
But the president's unclear messaging has also left lawmakers only guessing as they try to decipher which advisers and aides hold sway in the White House.
Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, said that as he's received calls from the business community in his state, he's had no answers for them besides telling them the prospects for the economy are uncertain. The communication from the president's aides has often been conflicting, Kennedy said even as he voiced support for Trump's long-term goals.
Kennedy told reporters, “I don't think there's any way to double or triple your tariffs on the world when you're the wealthiest country in all of human history without being somewhat shambolic."
