Modi betrayed people of Karnataka in a 'big way', says Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Jan 3: Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying Karnataka in a "big way" by not announcing any flood relief for the state during his two day visit, despite the mandate given to him by the people during the Lok Sabha polls.
There was expectation from the people that Modi would announce something to the effect, but he “did not utter a word on it,"
He recalled that during the previous election, Modi had said that if BJP comes to power at both at state and the centre, the doors of good fortune will open for Karnataka.
"Forget about opening the doors of good fortune, he did not even open the doors of his house to the leaders of his own party, Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he pointed out that the people of Karnataka had elected 25 BJP MPs during the Lok Sabha polls.
"With 25 MPs and with their own Chief Minister, all we got was Rs 1,200 crore (flood relief).
That's why I call Yediyurappa a weak CM...he should have demanded for about Rs 36,000 crore estimated from centre and for declaration of floods as national disaster, but he didn't have the courage, he said.
Modi had begun his two-day visit to Karnataka on Thursday, which he ended after attending various programmes at both Tumakuru and Bengaluru.
Noting that Modi should have at least given an assurance to examine the states demand of adequate flood relief, Siddaramaiah said the Prime Minister had not responded to it despite Yediyurappa raising the issue, which showed his "neglect" towards Karnataka.
"...people of the state voted for Modi, but today Modi has betrayed Karnataka in a big way, he said.
As many as 103 taluks in 22 districts of Karnataka were affected due to unprecedented floods in August, in which over 80 people were killed.
Around seven lakh people were shifted to safe areas during the deluge and thousands of houses were damaged.
Flaying Modi for making a political speech in front of school children at Siddaganga Mutt on Thursday, Siddaramaiah asked what was the need and relevance to speak against Congress and about Pakistan, CAA and NRC in front of them.
"it was a dirty political speech, not the one to speak in front of children.For Modi everywhere it is politics,he said.
Lambasting Congress and its allies for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, Modi on Thursday had said the ongoing protests were against Parliament and called on the agitators to raise their voice against Pakistan's atrocities on its minorities for the last 70 years.
Agreed that Pakistan is an evil nation..but (what) are you doing against the minorities here, Mr Modi," he asked.
He sought to know if implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens "on the basis of religion" was right.
"Did you have to speak about it in front of children? Siddaramaiah asked.
He could instead have spoken about issues concerning the state and the country, he added.
The former Chief Minister said Modi is a "good speaker" who uses his skills to divert the people's attention from real issues like the economy and other things by raising emotive issues like Pakistan, terrorism.
"Congress was not opposing Parliament as claimed by Modi or the position of the Prime Minister, but agitating against the divisive politics of BJP, he said, adding that the Modi led government has lost its "sensitivity".
He also questioned why Modi had not announced a "Bharat Ratna" to Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt, to whose ‘Gadduge' (final resting place) PM had paid respects during his visit to the Mutt on Thursday.
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US warns shipping firms they could face sanctions over paying Iranian tolls in Strait of Hormuz
Dubai (AP): The United States is warning shipping companies that they could face sanctions for making payments to Iran to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The alert posted Friday by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control adds another layer of pressure in the standoff between the US and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
About a fifth of the world's trade in oil and natural gas typically passes through the strait at the mouth of the Persian Gulf in peacetime.
Iran effectively closed the strait to normal traffic by attacking and threatening to attack ships after the US and Israel launched a war on Feb. 28. It later began offering some ships safe passage by detouring them through alternate routes closer to its shoreline, charging fees at times for the service.
That "tollbooth” effort is the focus of the US sanctions warning.
The payment demands could include transfers not only in cash but also “digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments,” including chartibale donations and payments at Iranian embassies, OFAC said.
“OFAC is issuing this alert to warn US and non-US persons about the sanctions risks of making these payments to, or soliciting guarantees from, the Iranian regime for safe passage. These risks exist regardless of payment method,” it said.
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The US responded to Iran's closure of the strait with a naval blockade of its own on April 13, preventing any Iranian tankers from leaving and depriving Iran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy.
The US Central Command said 45 commercial ships have been told to turn around since the blockade began.
Trump rejects Iranian proposal
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The warning came as US President Donald Trump swiftly rejected Iran's latest proposal to end the war between the countries.
“They want to make a deal, I'm not satisfied with it, so we'll see what happens,” Trump said Friday at the White House. He didn't elaborate on what he saw as its shortcomings but expressed frustration with the Iranian leadership.
“It's a very disjointed leadership,” Trump said. “They all want to make a deal, but they're all messed up.”
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported Iran handed over its plan to mediators in Pakistan on Thursday night.
The shaky three-week ceasefire between the US and Iran appears to be holding, though both countries have traded accusations of violations. The standoff is increasingly putting pressure on the global economy, driving up prices and leading to shortages of fuel and other products tied to the oil industry.
Negotiations continued by phone after Trump called off his envoys' trip to Pakistan last week, the president said. Trump this week floated a new plan to reopen the critical passageway used by America's Gulf allies to export their oil and gas.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has briefed many of his regional counterparts on the country's initiatives to end the ear, according to his social media. He also held talks Friday with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who is in contact with the EU's Gulf partners.
China's UN envoy urges Iran to lift restrictions
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Fu Cong, the Chinese ambassdor to the United Nations, said Friday that maintaining the ceasefire is “the most urgent issue" as well as bringing together the sides to resume good faith negotiations “to make sure that the ground is laid for reopening of Hormuz.”
Foreign Minister Wang Yi “has been on the phone almost constantly” with representatives from all sides, Fu said, adding that China supports Pakistan's efforts to mediate between the parties.
Fu stressed the root cause of the tremendous suffering in Iran and neighboring countries and the growing turmoil in the global economy, especially in developing countries, “is the illegitimate war by the US and Israel.
