Iran to soon allow
North Bengal, addressed two back-to-back campaigns in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar districts on Monday.
Banerjee alleged that the
BJP’s plan is to instigate communal riots, send in the NIA and win elections by terrorising the masses. “This election is to save your rights, else the BJP will finish off this nation and divide it into pieces. We have to stand up against this,” remarked Banerjee.
She stated that under the BJP, individual identities would be done away with.
“No one will have their identities if BJP comes to power. The Tribes won’t have their identities, neither will the Kamtapuris, Minorities or the Hindus. They will decide for you what you should eat and how long you should sleep. It will be a oneleader-one-nation idea. Never seen such a Prime Minister in my life. He is all set to sell off the country,” claimed Banerjee.
She alleged that even elections were being conducted by the ECI in consultation and convenience of the BJP.
“They do not take Opposition parties into consideration as the Opposition no longer has a voice. The Opposition voices have been silenced by Modi,” claimed Banerjee.
Addressing the gathering from Ras Mela Maidan in Cooch Behar from where the Prime Minister had also addressed an election campaign recently, Banerjee questioned: “You all voted for BJP and they won. What did they give you in five years? The BJP leaders from Bengal went to Delhi and stopped your 100 days work, housing scheme and road construction funds. Why vote for them? The aim should be BJP Hatao, Desh Bachao.”
Amir-Abdollahian stated: “We are closely observing the developments regarding the captured ship, and the Indian government’s representatives will soon be arranged to meet the vessel’s crew.”
The MSC Aries, commandeered by the IRGC’s Special Naval Forces, is believed to be targeted due to its associations with Israel.
The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has been coordinating with the authorities to ensure the safety of the 25 crew members and to facilitate the ship’s return.
Following the seizure, the White House’s National Security Council spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, revealed that the crew includes nationals from India, the Philippines, Pakistan, Russia, and Estonia.
India has been actively engaging with Iran to negotiate the release of its citizens on the MSC Aries.
Jaishankar tweeted after the discussion: “Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening. Addressed the liberation of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Reviewed the ongoing regional conditions. Emphasized the need to prevent further conflict, maintain restraint, and revert to diplomatic negotiations. Agreed to stay in contact.”
Meanwhile, on Monday, Jaishankar said India is very concerned over escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel and New Delhi has told the countries to “calm down”.
“We have been telling them not to allow this (the situation) to escalate and that this is a very crucial region for the global economy,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.Jaishankar emphasised that the stability of the Middle East region was essential because about one crore Indian citizens live there and said: “A large part of our shipping passes through this region and also, oil comes from there.”
“This is an enormously sensitive region. So we are very concerned
when there is this kind of escalation and hostilities. So our effort has been to tell both of them to calm down. So yesterday, I made a phone call to both, not only Iran (Foreign Minister) Hossein Amir-Abdollahian but also I called up my Israeli counterpart (Israel Katz),” Jaishankar said.
“We also understand that they have concerns. I’m only saying that for the rest of the world and definitely for India, we would like to find ways of de-escalating the situation,” he added.
To a question on the adverse impact of the Iran-Israel conflict, Jaishankar said in a globalised world, no country can remain unaffected.
However, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the “guts to take the right decision.”
exchanges between the Iranian and Israeli representatives, each calling for sanctions against the other.Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, defended his country’s actions as necessary and justified, criticising the Security Council for not denouncing the attack on Iran’s diplomatic premises in Syria. He stated that Iran had no alternative but to react, clarifying that Iran does not desire an escalation or war but will defend itself against any threats or aggression.
Iravani called on the Security Council to fulfill its role and confront the true threat to global peace and security, urging immediate and severe measures to force Israel to cease what he described as a genocide in Gaza.
Conversely, Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan labelled Iran as the foremost global terrorism sponsor and a rogue state. He urged the world to abandon its indifference, to censure Iran, and to recognize the gravity of the situation.Erdan declared: “Israel has the right to respond to this provocation, which has crossed all boundaries.”
He implored the Security Council to classify the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity and to impose comprehensive sanctions on Iran without delay.
helicopter and the home minister’s helicopter should also be checked.
“The day before yesterday, my car was also checked, my shaving cream was taken out, my toothpaste was taken out, my entire suitcase was taken out. I remained silent, I said, whatever has to be done, do it . ... check the Prime Minister’s chopper, check the Home Minister’s chopper, check all the choppers, level the playing field (should be there),” he said.
“You are an impartial institution, a constitutional institution, understand your rights and treat all parties equally. Don’t give special category status to the Prime Minister, don’t give special category status to the Home Minister. If you want to check the vehicles, do it, if you want to check the chopper, do it, we have no objection,” he said.
and execution of Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, subsequently annulled. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 following the high court’s denial of protection from coercive action by the ED.
Currently held in judicial custody at Tihar Jail, Kejriwal has contested his arrest, labelling it an assault on democratic principles and urging the apex court to declare the case against him illegal.In his plea, Kejriwal criticised his arrest as politically motivated, based on contradictory statements from co-accused turned approvers. He warned against setting a precedent for the ruling party to detain political opponents on baseless charges before elections, thereby undermining constitutional principles.
a transition to La Nina likely by August-September.
Positive Indian Ocean Dipole conditions, which are advantageous for the Indian monsoon, are anticipated this season. Moreover, the reduced snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere and Eurasia is also favourable for the monsoon.El Nino typically leads to weaker monsoon winds and drier conditions in India, while La Nina, being its counterpart, significantly increases the chances of ‘above-normal’ rainfall, as explained by D S Pai, a senior IMD scientist.
The IMD plans to update the monsoon’s onset over India and detail the rainfall distribution for the months of June, July, August, and September by mid-May.
Forecasting the monsoon season’s rainfall involves considering three major climatic factors: El Nino, the Indian Ocean Dipole, and the snow cover over the northern Himalayas and Eurasia, all of which influence the monsoon through differential heating effects.