Siddaramaiah hits back at Minister Ashwath Narayan for invoking Tipu while targeting him
Bengaluru (PTI): Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Thursday accused Karnataka Minister C N Ashwath Narayan of trying to 'instigate' people to kill him as he took exception to the latter's statement that he should be "knocked out and sent off" like the 18th century ruler of erstwhile Mysuru Kingdom, Tipu Sultan.
He urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to immediately initiate action against Narayan by sacking him from the cabinet.
The Leader of Opposition in the state assembly was referring to Narayan's recent remark in Mandya while targeting him.
"Tipu's son Siddaramaiah will come.... Do you want Tipu or Savarkar? Where should we send Tipu Sultan? What did Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda do? In the same way he should be knocked out and sent off," Narayan had said.
A section in the old Mysuru belt claims that Tipu did not die fighting the British, but was killed by two Vokkaliga chieftains Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, which has been disputed by some historians.
Narayan on his part said, his statement was not personally directed at Siddaramaiah and in case the Congress legislature party leader is hurt, he will express regret.
He also clarified that he only meant defeating electorally and not causing any physical harm, as being misinterpreted.
"Higher Education Minister Ashwath Narayan has appealed to people to kill me the way Tipu was killed. Ashwath Narayan, Why are you trying to instigate people? Get the gun yourself," Siddaramaiah said.
Expressing surprise that no action has been taken against the minister who has openly appealed people to kill, the former CM in a series of tweets said this shows that Bommai, Home minister Araga Jnanendra and their "incompetent cabinet is sleeping and is in agreement with Ashwath Narayan".
Has Gujarat BJP culture crept into Karnataka BJP as well? he asked while seeking to know whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain silent even now just as he was in 2002 (Gujarat riots).
"Kannadigas will never let Karnataka to become like Gujarat."
Urging Bommai to immediately sack Narayan from the cabinet and arrest him, Siddaramaiah said, "If no action is taken, it only means that BJP is in agreement with the appeal or they think Ashwath Narayan has become 'Mentally Unstable".
With his statement snowballing into a controversy, eliciting sharp reaction from opposition party leaders, especially the Congress, Narayan said attempts are being made to present his statement by misinterpreting it.
"People will not accept such things. He (Siddaramaiah) is the one who compared the Chief Minister to a puppy, called state BJP President a joker, Prime Minister Modi as narahanthaka (mass murderer) I have never tried to divide the society like him in the name of religion and caste. I only meant defeating him in the election through votes and not personal comment or causing any harm to him physically," he added.
Addressing reporters in Hubballi, Siddaramaiah said, "Narayan has no business to continue as a Minister, I request the Governor to dismiss him from the cabinet."
He was responding to a query regarding Narayan's regret.
Claiming that the intention is to polarise votes as they (BJP) fear losing election, Siddaramaiah said, "I will not file any complaint, but it is a fit case in which police have to take suo moto action against Ashwath Narayan."
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Talks with Iran ended after 21 hours without reaching agreement, says US Vice President Vance
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Islamabad (PTI): US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that the Islamabad Talks with Iran failed as the two sides could not bridge the gulf of differences despite hectic efforts spreading more than 21 hours.
Vance addressed a press conference here after “substantive discussions” in direct talks between the two sides -- the first since 1979 at this level --mediated by Pakistan.
“We have been at it now for 21 hours, and we have had a number of substantive discussions, that’s the good news,” Vance said.
“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” he added.
“We have made very clear what our red lines are, what things we are willing to accommodate them on and what things we are not,” the US vice president said, adding that the Iranian delegation had “chosen not to accept our terms”.
He was asked to elaborate the main sticking points of what did the Iranians reject but he refused to go into specifics.
“I won’t go into all the details because I don’t want to negotiate in public after we negotiated for 21 hours in private. But the simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and that they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance said
He said stopping Iran from getting a "nuke" was the “core goal of the US president, and that’s what we have tried to achieve through these negotiations”.
Vance also praised Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, terming them “incredible hosts”.
“Whatever shortcomings were in the negotiations were not because of Pakistanis, who did an amazing job and really tried to help us and the Iranians bridge the gap and get to a deal,” he said.
Separately, the spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baqaei, in an X message also confirmed that the two sides failed to make a deal and “numerous messages and texts have been exchanged between the two sides".
“In the past 24 hours, discussions were held on various dimensions of the main negotiation topics, including the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, lifting of sanctions, and the complete end to the war against Iran and in the region,” he wrote.
“The success of this diplomatic process depends on the seriousness and good faith of the opposing side, refraining from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.”
Baqaei also expressed appreciation to the “government and the warm-hearted and noble people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for hosting the negotiations and their benevolent efforts in advancing this process”.
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