Archives for October 2022

TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign minister said Monday that Tehran would not remain “indifferent” if it becomes evident Russia is using Iranian-made drones in Ukraine

His remarks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia ordered around 2,000 drones from Iran, the same kind that Kyiv says Moscow has been using in its recent attacks against Ukraine.

“During the war in Ukraine… we are against arming both Russia and Ukraine,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in video remarks published by local media.

“We have not supplied Russia with any weapons or drones for use in the war against Ukraine,” he continued, reiterating previous denials whilst acknowledging that the two countries have defence cooperation.

Iran’s top diplomat reaffirmed his country’s willingness to hold direct talks with Ukraine on the matter, and said that he conveyed this to European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in the past days.

“I stressed to Mr Borrell that if… it becomes clear to us that Russia has used Iranian drones in the war against Ukraine, we will definitely not be indifferent about this issue.”

Kyiv and its Western allies have repeatedly accused Moscow of using Iranian-made drones in attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks.

Iran has previously rejected allegations that it has supplied Russia with weapons “to be used” in Ukraine, while the Kremlin said Western countries aim to “pressure” Tehran.

Earlier on Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani rejected US allegations that Iranian military personnel are on the ground in Russian-occupied Crimea to help Moscow carry out drone attacks in Ukraine.

“We strongly reject this news,” Kanani said in a press conference. The claim by Washington “aims to deviate public opinion from the destructive role they have in the Ukraine war by standing on one side of the conflict and heavily exporting weapons and equipment to Ukraine,” he added.

On Thursday, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Iranian forces are “on the ground in Crimea” to assist Russia in its operations, adding that the personnel are trainers and tech support workers.

Kirby said “Tehran is now directly engaged on the ground, and through the provision of weapons that are impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine”.

The United States, alongside Britain and the European Union, have already imposed sanctions on Iran over the issue of drones.

Last month, Kyiv decided to significantly reduce its diplomatic relations with Tehran over alleged arms deliveries to Moscow.

BENGALURU: As Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) nears, citizens point out the irony in promoting the city’s prowess in the IT industry, while it falls apart during the monsoon. The 25th edition of BTS, to be held from November 16 to 18, 2022, is being organised by the Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology, and Science and Technology.

Ahead of the summit, the department has been promoting Bengaluru’s image as a bastion of IT industry in India, especially highlighting the city’s unicorn startups and its reputation as an IT hub. The BTS Industry Meet Roadshow was held in New Delhi recently, where Karnataka IT/BT Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan highlighted key aspects as to why Bengaluru was the best destination for investors. “Karnataka is the most sought after destination for global technology and innovation companies. The state is the preferred destination for multinational corporations,” he had said. 

Meanwhile, as part of the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA), numerous countries are collaborating with Karnataka, and the European Union is also taking part in the summit. While the minister’s promotion of the state has attracted many to take part in the summit, those living in the city itself are unconvinced. 

During the promotion of BTS, Bengaluru residents took to social media to dispel the rosy image of the city. “What a joke, you can’t provide basic facilities in Bengaluru and you are luring investors to invest in Karnataka,” one netizen said. Others simply highlighted several instances of deaths cause by potholes all over the city. “All this IT nonsense, yet the city still has fourth-world architecture. Shame on the government for allowing this to happen,” another said. Yet others pointed out failings in the minister’s own constituency, with one netizen stating that no proper work had been done on roads.

RAIPUR: One of the key poll promises by the ruling Congress ahead of the Assembly polls 2018 was on liquor ban, which is now rumbling politically in Chhattisgarh with the opposition BJP gearing-up to sharpen its attack on the Bhupesh Baghel government. The elections in the state are due next year

While the opposition has been consistently demanding total prohibition in the state, the Congress is not expressing any disinclination, but countered that the process on liquor ban will not be done like the demonetisation. It will be done on the basis of the observations compiled by the three committees constituted by the government. The Congress maintained that it will review the possibilities of closing down liquor sales.

The state health minister T S Singhdeo recently expressed reservations over Chhattisgarh likely becoming a complete ‘dry state’. “Liquor can be banned in around 61 development blocks but imposing prohibition in the tribal areas may not be possible,” he said.Political observers believed that liquor ban promise by Congress party apparently won the appreciation from the women who constitute nearly 50 per cent of the voters in the state.

Three committees comprised experts, social workers and legislators were formed to study the prospect of prohibition in the state. “Based on observations of the committees the government will initiate action. We have corresponded with four states that imposed liquor ban regarding study tours, but have not received any response so far. The process will begin after we receive the reply,” said Satyanarayan Sharma, who heads a political committee on liquor prohibition. 

During the last three years and a half, only three meetings of the committee were held.The BJP Mahila Morcha has launched a major campaign against the state government on liquor ban and crime against women.

“There will be a month-long programme right from the village level to district across the state. On November 3, the Morcha will organise a mega rally that will see the participation of one lakh women,” said Saroj Pandey, BJP MP.

KANUJ: A 12-year-old girl was allegedly raped and then found dumped, drenched in blood behind the Dak Bangla guest house in Kannauj.

A video of the incident that has gone viral on social media shows bystanders busy filming the grievously injured girl, instead of helping her. The girl had multiple injuries, including on her head.

In the video, the girl can be seen trying to reach out for help by raising her hand, but her appeals go unanswered. The video shows a group of men with their mobile phones in their hands, filming her from different angles.

The onlookers can be heard asking whether the police were informed. Another asked for the police chief’s number. But the filming continued with no attempts to help the girl. The girl had to wait for help until the police arrived.

A second video, which also went viral, showed the local police outpost in-charge rushing towards an autorickshaw with the injured girl in his arms.

Superintendent of Police Kunwar Anupam Singh said, “The minor girl was found injured and the local police rushed her to the hospital for treatment.”

A case has been registered under the relevant sections based on a complaint by the girl’s family, he said. It is not clear if the girl was sexually assaulted. No arrests have been made in the case yet.

According to the girl’s family, she had gone out to buy a piggy bank in the afternoon. When she did not return home till the evening, her parents mounted a search for her. The girl was found behind the guest house, drenched in blood and traumatised.

The victim was later taken to the district hospital where a doctor examined her and referred her to Kanpur keeping in view her critical condition. The local residents alleged that the girl was gang-raped and dumped there.

However, the police are denying the claim of residents.

Gursahaiganj police station in-charge Manoj Pandey said it was too early to arrive at any conclusion and the police were waiting for the girl to give a statement.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday took a strong note of the hate speeches in the country and in what comes as strong remarks by the Apex Court, it asked “This is the 21st century. Where have we reached in the name of religion?”

The SC was hearing a petition on hate speeches when it made the remarks. The Court further added that the state of affairs was “shocking for a country that is supposed to be religion-neutral.”

The plea has requested urgent intervention by the court to stop the “growing menace of targeting and terrorizing (of) the Muslim Community in India”.

Puttur: A man accused of misbehaving with a young lady in a village of Puttur taluk, was tied to an electricity pole and thrashed by the locals on Friday here.

The incident occurred in Saaja Panettadka under Balnadu Gram Panchayat limits, on Friday morning. The accused, a resident of Saaja, was then taken into custody by the police after he was tied to a pole and thrashed.

On Thursday evening, the girl alleged that the accused misbehaved with her when she was returning home in Saaja. She alleged she was walking from the bus stand to her house, when the accused who was riding on the same route on his scooter, saw her and offered to drop her at her house.

The girl is said to have informed her family about the incident when she reached home.

The accused’s two-wheeler had reportedly broke down in Panettadka and he had returned home on foot.

When he returned with a mechanic on Friday morning, people were waiting for him near the scooter. The men tied the accused to an electricity pole and thrashed him, reports added.

Puttur Rural Police, who arrived at the spot upon learning about the incident freed the accused and took him into custody.