Dubai (Press Release): Sahebaan Welfare Trust (SWT) Mangalore launched its membership induction drive recently at the premises of Northern Insurance Company on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The launching ceremony happened in the presence of trustees and prominent UAE Sahebaans, including Nasir Syed, Mateen Ahmed Chilmi, Yunus Sheikh, Nisar Khan, Ajmal Syed, and Althaf Khalife.

As part of the induction drive, SWT unveiled its brochure, signaling the expansion of its membership outreach not only in India but also in the UAE and other countries.

Established in December 2023, SWT is dedicated to addressing the welfare needs of the Sahebaan community, predominantly Urdu-speaking individuals hailing from the DK and Udupi districts. Moreover, SWT aims to bridge the gap in representation for returning Sahebaan NRIs in India.

Embodying principles of peace and harmony, SWT adheres to a stringent group membership policy while respecting the laws of the respective countries.

During the ceremony, Syed Siraj Ahmed, General Secretary of SWT, provided insights into the organization's objectives, past achievements, and forthcoming plans. These include a series of bi-monthly welfare talks covering education, health, taxation, NRI investments in India, and active participation in governmental initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and traffic awareness campaigns, alongside fostering interfaith harmony.

Afroz Assadi, President of SWT, extended a warm welcome to all attendees, expressing gratitude for their presence and spoke on the importance of continued support and cooperation to realize the objectives set forth by SWT. The constructive and beneficial role of SWT Ladies Wing was noted and appreciated during the meeting.

Faizaan Khatib, Lead of the SWT Youth Wing was also present.

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Mangaluru: Congress leader and former minister B Ramanath Rai slammed BJP leader R Ashoka for calling AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal an agent of the party high command, and asked if the general secretary and other office-bearers in the BJP were commission agents too.

Rai, who addressed a press meet at the Congress office in the city on Friday, expressed fury over the recent comments of the BJP leader that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was presenting himself in a shameless manner in public life. Ashoka, who is also Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, had said that the Congress government had ‘broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies’.

“Ashoka has spoken with sheer ignorance and displays his lack of maturity, as he often does while facing the media. KC Venugopal has been working at organization of the party and it is unbecoming of Ashoka to criticize Venugopal as he did,” Rai told reporters.

“Being in a responsible position, how acceptable is it for Ashoka to pass disrespectful, random comments about another leader who also holds a responsible position? If KC Venugopal is indeed an agent of the party high command, what should we consider BJP leaders to be? Are they brokers?” he asked

Commenting on Ashoka’s allegations of corruption in the Congress government in Karnataka, Rai pointed out, “The KSRTC land was sold to private parties when he (Ashoka) was transport minister. We can find several such cases across the state, which need to be probed.”

The former minister, however, refused to comment on the incident that occurred at Mangaluru airport during CM Siddaramaiah’s visit to the city recently.

Former mayors Ashraf and Shashidhar Hegde, Congress activists Vishwas Kumar Das, Subhodaya Alva, Shabeer, Baby Kundar, Padmanabha, Nazeer Bajal and Prem were present.