Lucknow: UP Congress president Ajay Rai met Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad in Lucknow on Monday in the wake of the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Later, in a press statement Rai said “Khamenei chose bravery over surrender, and we bow to his sacrifice”. Rai also conveyed condolences to Iran and the global Shia community during what he described as a moment of profound grief. “In this hour of mourning, we stand in solidarity with Iran and with Shia communities across the world,” he said. The Congress chief said Modi govt’s silence on the matter is shameful. “It not only points to a moral decline but also raises questions about our civilisational ethos that always spread light and goodwill across the world,” Rai said. He said India and Iran share historic strong ties but they got weakened under Modi govt.
