Threats to 15 writers, philosophers in Karnataka: Home Minister orders DG&IGP to provide protection
Bengaluru: More than 15 prominent senior writers and thinkers in Karnataka have united to express their concern over receiving death threats, prompting them to appeal to Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara for immediate action. The delegation of intellectuals, who have been steadfastly advocating against fascism, casteism, and blind faith, has urged the government to address this issue promptly.
Addressing the matter, Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara informed reporters that he had been contacted by the group of writers seeking an audience. He further disclosed that he had directed Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) Alok Mohan and Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda to ensure the safety of the writers and thinkers. This measure has been taken in light of previous incidents within the state that have raised concerns about the security of intellectual voices.
In a formal letter to the Home Minister, Prof. K Marulasiddappa, representing the collective of writers and thinkers, highlighted their consistent efforts to combat social issues and ideological challenges. Prof. Marulasiddappa communicated that since June 2022, the group has been receiving letters containing death threats, causing heightened tension and emotional distress among them. The fear of potential attacks at any unforeseen moment has placed them under constant apprehension.
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Notable figures within the group, including Prof. SG Siddaramaiah, Banjagere Jayaprakash, Vasundhara Bhoopathi, and Kum. Veerabhadrappa, have all reportedly received similar death threats. In light of the gravity of the situation, Prof. Marulasiddappa appealed to the government to treat the matter with utmost seriousness and initiate necessary actions to address the threats and ensure the safety of those targeted.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
