Siddaramaiah terms BJP's remark of untoward incidents on Jan 22 'threat and provocation'
Bengaluru (PTI): Ahead of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday directed police department to be on the alert and slammed BJP state president's B Y Vijayendra's remark that the Congress government in Karnataka will be responsible for untoward incidents contains "threat and provocation".
"In the backdrop of the Ram temple event, I have instructed the police to take preventive measures to ensure that no untoward incidents occur in the state and to maintain peace and order," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
He said it has come to his attention that some miscreants are spreading false news and provoking innocent people.
ALSO READ: CM Siddaramaiah asks Central govt to amend Constitution for internal reservation for SCs
Upon hearing such news, one should not panic or get agitated but should immediately inform the nearest police station. Under no circumstances should anyone take the law into their own hands, Siddaramaiah appealed to people.
"BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra has stated that if any unfortunate incident occurs in the state, the Congress government will be held responsible. His statement seems to contain more of a threat and provocation than an intention to maintain peace," the chief minister said.
While demanding government holiday on January 22, Vijayendra on Saturday said security should be beefed up as there are possibilities of untoward incidents that can disturb peace in the society.
A few days ago Congress leader B K Hariprasad too had expressed his apprehension that a "Godhra like situation" can be created in Karnataka too and urged the state government to tighten security.
Siddaramaiah stressed that the government was aware of its duties. If something goes wrong, the law will take its course, he added.
"The state government has noticed that some BJP legislators and MPs are already making provocative statements. If BJP state president takes strict action against such individuals, it would ease the government's task of maintaining law and order," the Chief Minister noted.
God, religion, worship, and devotion are all personal matters, Siddaramaiah said adding that if these are kept personal, it will bring respect to God and religion, and welfare to the society.
This applies to all followers of all religions, he noted.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Hezbollah fires over 200 rockets into Israel after killing of senior commander
Beirut (AP): The Lebanese Hezbollah group said it launched over 200 rockets on Thursday at several military bases in Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed one of its senior commanders.
The attack by the Iran-backed group was one of the largest in the monthslong conflict along the Lebanon-Israel border, with tensions escalating in recent weeks.
The Israeli military said "numerous projectiles and suspicious aerial targets" had entered its territory from Lebanon, many of which it said were intercepted. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
It said about 200 “projectiles” were launched toward the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and over 20 drones into Israeli territory, but that it had intercepted some of them.
Israel after Hezbollah's attack struck various towns in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah's “military structures” in the southern border towns of Ramyeh and Houla.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported an Israeli drone strike of Houla killed at least one person. Israeli jets also broke the sound barrier over the Lebanese capital and other areas in the country.
Israel on Wednesday acknowledged that it had killed Mohammad Naameh Nasser, who headed one of Hezbollah's three regional divisions in southern Lebanon, a day earlier.
Hours after the killing, Hezbollah launched scores of Katyusha rockets and Falaq rockets with heavy warheads into northern Israel and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. It launched more rockets on Thursday and said it had also sent exploding drones into several bases.
Nasser was of great importance to Hezbollah, which said he took part in battles in conflicts in Syria and Iraq from 2011 until 2016 and fought in the group's last war with Israel in 2006. Two other senior Hezbollah commanders have also been killed.
The US and France are continuing to scramble to prevent the skirmishes from spiraling into an all-out war, which they fear could spillover across the region. Washington in its shuttle diplomatic efforts initially hoped for calm along the Lebanon-Israel border in a deal that is not linked to the war in Gaza. However, since the US has called for Hamas to agree to a cease-fire proposal presented by President Joe Biden, it has said that an end to the war in Gaza would lead to calm in Lebanon and northern Israel as well.
