Vote for development and harmony in the district: D K Shivakumar in Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Apr 15: Criticising the sitting Dakshina Kannada (DK) MP Nalin Kumar Kateel for his irresponsible attitude towards the Lok Sabha constituency, Congress leader and state Irrigation Minister D K Shivakumar Monday asked the people to vote for development and harmony in the district.
Addressing a press meet here, Shivakumar, who is here to campaign for party candidate Mithun Rai, slammed the BJP for doing hardly anything for the constituency which had been represented by their MPs in the last 28 years.
The minister hoped that the educated and intelligent people of DK will give Mithun Rai a chance to fulfil their dreams of development.
"The present MP is not aware of the problems faced by the people in the coastal district.
The youth are leaving Mangaluru to other cities seeking jobs. No major development work had been done for the port, airport or other facilities in the city during the last ten years," he alleged
The sitting MP could not also raise a finger against the merger of Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda, which had hurt the people of DK, he said.
The 'Ache Din' promised by the BJP had never come and the country was facing a crisis in almost all the sectors, including agriculture, he said.
Farmers have been totally ignored by the Centre, he alleged.
Shivakumar wanted the workers of BJP and RSS to set aside their political differences and support Mithun Rai in the elections.
He said the concept of Hindutva is unique in the world and everyone should respect the culture and tradition of the country.
DCC president Harish Kumar, MLC, and party leader Ibrahim Kodijal were among those present.
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Only allegation-free individuals to handle Hajj pilgrims: Delhi High Court
New Delhi: In a recent ruling, the Delhi High Court stated that individuals with no allegations of deceit should be entrusted with the responsibility of handling pilgrims keeping in mind the sanctity of Hajj.
Justice Subramonium Prasad highlighted the provision in the Haj Policy, granting the Central Government authority to bar Hajj Group Organizers (HGOs) against whom complaints of misconduct have been lodged, particularly concerning their dealings with pilgrims.
The court's stance came in response to a plea filed by Al Islam Tour Corporation challenging the Centre's decision to blacklist it for ten years, starting from Hajj 2021. This decision followed a complaint from a Hajj pilgrim, accusing the corporation of defrauding him in 2013 by accepting Rs. 13 lakhs for pilgrimage expenses but failing to refund the money upon cancellation.
Dismissing the plea, the court noted that the petitioner wasn't registered as an HGO for Hajj 2018 and thus shouldn't have been involved in any Hajj-related activities without proper registration.
The court underscored the significance of the Hajj pilgrimage for many Indians, often being a once-in-a-lifetime journey for the less privileged who may spend their entire savings on it.
Furthermore, the court said that while the majority of Indian pilgrims obtain permission from the Hajj Committee, some experienced private tour operators are also authorised to facilitate the pilgrimage.
Considering the objectives of the Hajj Policy and the seriousness of the complaint against the petitioner, the court deemed the imposed penalty justified and saw no need for modification.
