11 labourers killed in blast in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
Peshawar (PTI): At least 11 labourers were killed and two injured in a terrorist attack in North Waziristan district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the media reported on Sunday.
Terrorists detonated explosives near Gul Mir Kot in Shawal tehsil on Saturday and blew up a vehicle carrying 16 labourers, Geo News quoted Deputy Commissioner Rehan Gul Khattak as saying.
As many as 11 labourers, who worked in an under-construction government building, were killed on the spot while two were critically injured, and three went missing, Khattak said.
Officials said the injured and the bodies of the deceased belonging to the South Waziristan tehsil of Makin and Wana were shifted to a nearby hospital.
Efforts to identify and locate the missing workers are ongoing, he said.
Meanwhile, earlier on Saturday, four personnel of the Bomb Disposal Squad were seriously injured in the Makin tehsil of Upper South Waziristan after miscreants fired a rocket at their vehicle.
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Chandrashekhar Swamiji apologises for remark on denying voting rights to Muslims
"If my statement has upset our Muslim brothers, I deeply regret it."
Bengaluru: Kumara Chandrashekharanath Swamiji, head of the Vishva Okkaliga Mahasansthana Mutt, has expressed regret over his controversial statement suggesting that "Muslims should be denied voting rights."
In a press release, Swamiji clarified, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
He further added, "Okkaligas are inherently tolerant of all religions. We have always treated people of every faith equally. Our Mutt maintains cordial relations with Muslims, and they frequently visit us. Similarly, we attend their weddings and other joyous occasions. Hence, there is no intolerance towards this community." Swamiji appealed to the public to disregard the controversy surrounding his remark.
The controversial statement was made during a farmers' rally, ‘Raita Gharjana,’ organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Karnataka Pradesh, at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, Swamiji had said, "A law should be enacted to deny voting rights to the Muslim community, and the Wakf Board should be abolished."
The remark drew widespread criticism from political leaders and the public alike. Following the backlash, Swamiji issued his apology, stating, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
