Indian Christian businessman who built mosque last year, now serve iftar meals to 800 Muslim workers
Dubai: An Indian Christian businessman, who built a mosque for Muslim workers in the UAE, is serving iftar meals to nearly 800 workers during the ongoing month of Ramzan.
Saji Cheriyan, 49, who hails from Kerala's Kayamkulam, built the mosque last year for Muslim workers living in a worker accommodation that he rented out to 53 companies in Fujairah.
He built the Mariam Umm Eisa (Mary, the Mother of Jesus) mosque after he saw workers spending their earnings on taking taxis to go to the nearest mosque to offer prayers during the holy month.
Ramzan this year began on May 7.
Cheriyan, who landed in the UAE in 2003 with just a few hundred dirhams, hosts iftar for about 800 people including workers and other senior employees of various companies at an air conditioned convention centre in the same complex, the Gulf News reported.
The mosque opened on the 17th night of Ramadan last year. So, I could offer iftar to the worshippers only for the remaining days. From this year, I would be doing it every day, he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The iftar meal includes dates, fresh fruits, snacks, juice, water and biryani. I have made arrangements to offer different types of biryani so that they don't get bored eating the same dish every iftar, he said.
Abdul Qayum, a 63-year-old Pakistani bus driver, who had iftar on Wednesday, appreciated Cheriyan's efforts.
The world needs people like him. If there are no people like him, the world will end. We are praying for him. Allah will bless him.
Vajas Abdul Wahid, an Indian employed as assistant manager with a company, said there are employees of more than 50 companies living in the area.
"Senior employees and labourers are staying in separate accommodations. But, when we come here, we are all equal. We pray and have iftar together, he added.
The mosque in the East Ville Real Estate complex in Al Hayl Industrial Area can accommodate 250 worshippers at a time. Facilities for another 700 to pray in the interlocked courtyard of the mosque, which will be shaded by the time it opens, have also been arranged.
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Never entered into pact to operate airport in Kenya: Adani group
New Delhi, Nov 23: Billionaire Gautam Adani's group on Saturday clarified on reports of Kenya cancelling more than USD 2.5 billion in deals after US indictment on bribery charges, saying it had not entered into any binding agreement to operate Kenya's main airport.
On the pact it had signed last month to build and operate key electricity transmission lines in Kenya for 30 years, the group said the project did not fall within the ambit of Sebi's disclosure regulations, thereby not warranting any disclosure on its cancellation.
The group was responding to notices sent by stock exchanges to confirm reports of Kenyan President William Ruto ordering the cancellation of a procurement process that had been expected to award control of the country's main airport after the conglomerate's founder was indicted in the United States.
Adani Enterprises Ltd, the flagship firm of billionaire Gautam Adani's group which houses its airport business, in a filing said it had in August this year incorporated a step-down subsidiary in Kenya to upgrade, modernise, and manage airports.
"While the company was in discussion with the relevant authority for the said project, till date neither the company nor its subsidiaries (i) have been awarded any airport project in Kenya, or (ii) entered into any binding or definitive agreement in connection with any airport in Kenya," the firm said.
It did not confirm or deny reports of Kenya cancelling the airport deal.
Adani Energy Solutions Ltd, the firm that operates power transmission lines, in a separate filing said on October 9 it was awarded the project to construct transmission lines in Kenya. Thereafter, it had incorporated a step-down subsidiary in Kenya.
"We submit that the project does not fall within the ambit of item 4 of Para B, Part A, Schedule III of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, as amended (Sebi Listing Regulations) which requires intimation to be made for any awarding, bagging/ receiving, amendment or termination of awarded/bagged orders/contracts other than in the ordinary course of business," it said refusing to confirm or deny the cancellation.
It went on to state that the award of the project was in the ordinary course of business of the company and its subsidiaries as they are engaged in the business of transmission and distribution of energy (among other things).
"Consequently, any cancellation of such Project will also not fall within the ambit of item 4 of Para B, Part A, Schedule III of the Sebi Listing Regulations," it added.
Under the proposed airport deal worth nearly USD 2 billion, the conglomerate was to add a second runway at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and upgrade the passenger terminal. It was also to operate it on a 30-year lease.
Kenya's President in his state of the nation address on Thursday also stated that he was cancelling a separate 30-year, USD 736-million public-private partnership that an Adani Group firm signed with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum last month to construct power transmission lines.
That followed US authorities indicting group Founder and Chairman Gautam Adani and seven others for allegedly agreeing to pay USD 265 million to Indian officials to win lucrative solar power supply contracts.
The Adani Group denied the allegations as baseless and said it would seek "all possible legal recourse".
The tender to operate Kenya's main airport was put on hold following local protests.
Adani Energy Solutions Ltd had last month signed a project agreement with the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (Ketraco) for developing three transmission lines and two substations.
