VIJAYAWADA: At a public discussion organised by Jana Chaitanya Vedika in Guntur, retired IAS officer and former Andhra Pradesh Special Chief Secretary PV Ramesh strongly criticised the ongoing attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel.
He stated that wars should never be justified based on religious prejudice against Muslims, and expressed disappointment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not condemned the assaults.
Ramesh explained that the US actions are driven by a desire to maintain global dominance, strengthen the dollar, and support its arms industry. He highlighted that despite external pressures, Iran has managed to resist aggression.
He warned that the presence of nuclear weapons in Israel and the US poses a grave threat, and said the possibility of their use cannot be ruled out.
Speakers at the event pointed out that even within the US, millions have protested against the war, while NATO and European allies have expressed disapproval of Trump’s policies.
Solidarity meet backs Cuba amid ongoing hardships
A solidarity conference was held at the MB Science Centre in Vijayawada to express support for Cuba, which is facing severe hardships due to long-standing US sanctions.
The resolution adopted at the meeting called upon people to extend humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people, who are struggling with shortages of food, medicines, fuel, and essential services. Speakers at the conference highlighted that despite being a small nation with a population of 10 million, Cuba stood firm against external pressures for decades.
They recalled Cuba’s achievements in education and healthcare under Fidel Castro’s leadership, as well as its role in the Non-Aligned Movement alongside India. The country earned global recognition for sending medical teams to crisis-hit nations, including during COVID-19. A resolution condemned US actions disrupting Cuba’s oil supplies, triggering outages and hospital disruptions.
Participants linked sanctions to rising prices in India and urged contributions to the Cuba Solidarity Fund, calling support a humanitarian responsibility.