Belgian PM Bart De Wever pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in New Delhi on Thursday.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that PM De Wever’s tribute to Mahatma Gandhi reflected the shared values that underpin the close friendship between the two nations.

In a post on X, Jaiswal wrote, “Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Bart De Wever of Belgium paid floral tributes at Rajghat in New Delhi today, honouring Mahatma Gandhi and his enduring message of peace, non-violence and human dignity. The solemn tribute reflected the shared values that underpin the close friendship between India and Belgium. The life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi continue to inspire the world.”

PM Bart De Wever arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for his three-day visit to India. This is PM De Wever’s first visit to India after assuming office in February last year. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken is also part of the visiting delegation.

Extending a warm welcome to the visiting Prime Minister, Jaiswal on X wrote, “Welcome to India! A very warm welcome to Prime Minister Bart De Wever of Belgium as he arrives in New Delhi on an official visit. He was received by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth. The visit provides an opportunity to further strengthen the close and multifaceted India-Belgium partnership.”

Later in the day, PM De Wever will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which both will discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.

PM De Wever will also deliver a keynote address at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) business event, in the context of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

After concluding his engagements in New Delhi, Bart De Wever will travel to Mumbai, where he will engage with various stakeholders, including from the diamond, ports and logistics sectors.

“The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the India-Belgium partnership and advance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including trade and investment, defence and security, technology, renewable energy, connectivity and people-to-people ties, as well as to further deepen India-EU and India-Europe engagement,” the MEA mentioned.

–IANS

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Commenting on Iran’s interaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Araghchi said the country has cooperated with the agency only in relation to those Iranian nuclear facilities that were not bombed by Israel and the United States in June, reports Xinhua news agency.

Over the past months, the United States, joined by some European states, has called on Iran to cease uranium enrichment on its soil. Tehran has repeatedly rejected the demand, stressing its right to uranium enrichment is non-negotiable.

Iran has suspended cooperation with the IAEA since June under a parliamentary law, citing the agency’s failure to condemn the Israeli and US attacks on its nuclear sites and concerns about the safety of its facilities and scientists.

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He made the remarks in an address to reporters in Tehran on Wednesday (local time), one day after US President Donald Trump said the United States was talking to Iran and that Tehran wanted “very badly” to make a deal.

In a Tuesday meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, Trump said, “We’re talking to them, and we start a process. But it would be a nice thing to have a deal with Iran.”

Baghaei stressed, “No negotiation process currently exists between Iran and the United States.”

He pointed to the US track record of failing to honour its promises and putting forward “excessive demands,” reiterating that there was no logical justification for holding talks with a side that did not see negotiation as a two-way process, took pride in its “wrongful action of military aggression” against Iran and the Iranian people, reports Xinhua news agency.

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No respite for Bengal as Met office predicts more rain in coming days

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While the monsoon has begun retreating from some parts of the country, it is yet to withdraw from Bengal, keeping the rain spell active. Heavy rainfall is also expected in several districts of north Bengal.

A senior official of the Met office said, “The monsoon retreated from some areas of western Rajasthan on Sunday, three days ahead of its usual September 17 schedule. A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts has shifted towards Telangana, reducing its direct impact on Bengal. However, scattered light to moderate rain will continue in south Bengal.”

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On Sunday, Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 32.2 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees below normal, and a minimum of 28.1 degrees C, 1.7 degrees above normal. Relative humidity ranged from 97 per cent to 76 per cent.

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EPS throws open challenge for public debate with TN CM Stalin, questions governance & unfulfilled promises

Chennai, Dec 27 (IANS) AIADMK General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), on Saturday, launched a sharp counterattack against current Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, challenging him to a direct public debate on governance, development, and unfulfilled promises made by the ruling DMK government.

Reacting to Chief Minister Stalin’s recent remarks in Kallakurichi, where the Chief Minister asked whether the AIADMK had achieved even “five per cent” of what the present government claims to have accomplished, Palaniswami said CM Stalin had no moral authority to make such claims.

Palaniswami reminded Chief Minister Stalin that the Kallakurichi district itself was formed during the AIADMK government under his leadership.

“Does the Chief Minister even know that the Kallakurichi district was created during the AIADMK government? The government medical college there stands as proof of our achievements,” EPS said in a statement.

He accused CM Stalin of merely inaugurating and pasting name boards on projects executed by the previous AIADMK government while claiming credit for them.

Referring to the Chief Minister’s remarks about governance and development, EPS asked whether the DMK had the credibility to speak on such matters.

“You speak about achievements while law and order has collapsed. Teachers, nurses, government employees, and even differently-abled persons are protesting on the streets. Is this the governance you boast of?” he asked.

Taking a swipe at the DMK government’s welfare claims, EPS questioned the much-publicised distribution of laptops to students in the state.

“You speak about providing laptops to 20 lakh students, but can you clearly explain how many actually received them? Is this not another empty announcement?” he asked.

He also criticised the state government’s announcement of limited-duration free AI subscriptions for students, comparing it unfavourably with private telecom companies offering longer benefits.

“Students are intelligent enough to understand this deception,” he remarked.

Responding directly to Chief Minister Stalin’s challenge, EPS said he was ready for an open debate at any time.

“You asked if anyone dares to question you. I am asking you directly — are you prepared to answer questions about your government’s failures? Are you ready to explain why NEET has not been abolished despite repeated promises?” he asked.

Concluding his statement, EPS said he has been waiting for years for such a face-to-face discussion.

“If you have the courage, come forward. I am ready to answer every question about the AIADMK’s governance. Are you ready to answer mine?” he challenged.

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