Jubail:  Indian Social Forum (ISF) between Feb 20-22, organised a knockout cricket tournament ‘Social Forum Cup – 2019’ at Al-Falah Ground of Al Jubail. The event brought together hundreds of people from all communities and nationalities to enjoy the game of cricket in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

15 leading cricket club teams of the eastern province participated in the tournament and played knock out games on Feb 20, Wednesday. The quarterfinals, semi finals and final match of the tournament was played on Friday 22 February.

Arabian Clouds and Eastern Blue played the final match and Arabian clouds eventually defeated the latter to lift the champion’s trophy in a nail biting final match.

In the final match, Sahil of Arabian Clouds was awarded Man of the Match, while he also secured Best Batsman and Best Wicketkeeper of the tournament award. Sahil’s teammate Mahesh was awarded best bowler of the tournament while Kashif of Eastern Blue won the player of the tournament award.

Super Sports Jubail team was awarded the people’s favorite team award, after it secured the most votes on an online voting campaign.

In the buildup to the final match of the tournament, India Fraternity Forum President, Imthiyaz Surathkal and Abdul Razak, CEO of KMT Co released helium balloons in the sky and wished players from both the teams luck for the final match.

The stage for the closing ceremony was named after Emirates Abdul kadar, a social worker in Saudi Arabia for over 3 decades who died in accident recently near Dammam.

Leading Entrepreneurs Mr. Abdul Razak CEO of KMT Contracting Co and Mushtaq Ahmed CEO of Fateh Al Jubail trading were felicitated with Indian Social Forum ‘Community Service Excellence Award’ for their outstanding Community service back home in India. They were felicitated by Meera Ahmed Gulbarga (Senior Consultant Engineer at Woods Group/ Central Committee Member India Fraternity Forum), Imthiyaz Surtkal (President India Fraternity Forum Eastern Province) respectively.

During the presentation ceremony, Saudi & Indian National anthem were played and silent prayer was offered in remembrance of CRPF PULWAMA martyrs. Sponsors and Guests were presented with the momento by the ISF Jubail Block executive council members. The ceremony was presided by Shareef Jokatte Indian Social Forum Karnataka Eastern province.

Shareef Jokatte, President of ISF Karnataka State Eastern Province, Imthiyaz Surathkal President of India Fraternity Forum Easter Province, Sheikabba Karnire Director of Expertise Contracting CO, Abdul Razak CEO of KMT Contracting Co, Mushtaq Ahmed CEO of Fateh Al- Jubail Trading, Ataulla Uchila president of IFF Karnataka EP, Waseem Rabbani President of Indian Social Forum EP, Salahuddin Mysore General Manager at Renaul Cars Co & Gen Secratery of ISF K’taka EP, Mohammad Ashraf Puttur General  secretary of ISF EP, Nazarul Islam Chaudhary Procurement Manager Yamama Co and President of IFF Delhi Zone, Ashqaf CEO of Plant Solutions, Tajammul Hussain Director at RAIKAM Operations, Abdul Azeez from Expertise Contracting Co, Azhar from Arabian Cloud, Saleem Udupi ISF Jubail - Udupi Block Exe Council Member, Nazeer Thumbay President of ISF Jubail Mangalore Block, Shameer Muloor President of Jubail Udupi Block, Williums Worki Manager from Shifa Hospital Jubail, Meeraj Ahmed Gulbarga member of IFF Central Committee EP, Mohammad Saeed Fleet Manager Renault Cars Co were present at the stage.

Mohammad Shameer Muloor (President Indian Social Forum Udupi Jubail Block) was the Tournament Coordinator, Mohammad Firoz hosted the presentation ceremony and Saleem Udupi (Member of Indian Social Forum Udupi Jubail Block executive council member) hosted the prize distribution ceremony.

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If one closely observes the developments taking place within the state Congress camp after the by-elections, it becomes clear that in trying to justify one mistake as “right,” its leaders are only creating more mistakes. These by-elections, by themselves, are not capable of having any major impact on the state government. However, due to the missteps taken by Congress leaders, these elections have not remained confined to Davanagere and Bagalkot but have begun affecting the entire state unit of the party.

In Davanagere, the wounds the party inflicted upon itself have now worsened and started spreading like poison to other regions. Already, the AHINDA community, which feels it has been denied justice in ticket distribution, is hurting. Congress leaders are now adding salt to those wounds one after another. They are attempting to shift the burden of their own mistakes onto minority leaders and escape accountability. By putting those who have faced social injustice in the dock, branding them as anti-party elements, and attempting to politically isolate them, the Congress seems to be inviting a backlash.

If a socially and economically backward community, which forms the largest population in Davanagere, asking for a ticket is considered anti-party activity, then what meaning remains in the repeated claim of “social justice” that Siddaramaiah often speaks about? This is the question being raised by the AHINDA sections of the state. At the same time, the Congress has not clearly explained what social circumstances justify giving the ticket to the family of late Shamanur Shivashankarappa.

The Shamanur family, which belongs to the Lingayat community, may have made significant contributions to the Congress party. But the party, in return, has already given them enough positions and recognition. Now, asking minority and Dalit communities in Davanagere to sacrifice their opportunity for the sake of this family, and branding minority leaders who question this as anti-party, reflects poorly on the party’s approach.

Shamanur Shivashankarappa passed away as a sitting MLA. His son is already an MLA and has served as a minister. His daughter-in-law has been elected as a Member of Parliament from the Congress. Given the positions already held by the family, giving a ticket to a minority candidate would have been justified in every sense. If not, the Congress could have chosen a candidate from the Dalit community, which is the second-largest in Davanagere. Instead, by imposing an inexperienced grandson of Shamanur on senior Congress leaders in the region, the party leadership has effectively committed an act of betrayal.

Even after making such a serious mistake, the leadership is now attempting to cover it up by putting minority leaders in the dock, initiating inquiries, and using suspensions and expulsions to intimidate minority Congress leaders and workers. This reflects the depth of decline the Congress has reached in the state. People are beginning to wonder whether Surjewala and others are trying to rebuild the Congress in Karnataka by excluding minorities and Dalits altogether.

Even after deciding to give the ticket to Shamanur’s grandson, it was the responsibility of the Congress leadership to take local minority leaders into confidence and involve them in the campaign. However, minority leaders themselves have said that no one approached them or tried to persuade them to participate. This clearly shows the dismissive attitude that both the Shamanur family and the party leadership hold towards minority leaders and workers. Rather than saying minority leaders did not participate in the campaign, it would be more accurate to say that the leadership ensured they were kept out of it.

In connection with the developments in Davanagere, the party high command has announced disciplinary action against two leaders. Even in a court of law, when a death sentence is pronounced, the reasons for the punishment are clearly stated. Here, minority leaders are asking why they are being punished. They have raised several questions, and it is the responsibility of the Congress leadership to answer them.

When late Shamanur Shivashankarappa publicly called upon voters to ensure the victory of BJP leader Yediyurappa’s son, it was not seen as anti-party activity. When Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah insisted that the caste census report must be implemented, Shamanur opposed it, yet even then it was not treated as anti-party behaviour. No suspensions or expulsions followed. Instead, his grandson has now been rewarded with a ticket.

But today, minority leaders who merely asked for a ticket for their community are being branded as anti-party and targeted for punishment. When they say they were not invited to campaign, the leadership should have questioned Minister Mallikarjun and his son as to why they failed to involve them. Instead, those who raised the complaint are being treated as the accused.

There is also talk that the Shamanur family had threatened to shift completely to the BJP if the ticket was not given to them, and that the leadership gave in to this pressure. If this is true, why is such a threat not considered anti-party activity? Why are minority leaders, who remained silent even after being denied a ticket, now being targeted as anti-party elements?

The Congress leadership must answer these questions. Only then will it become clear who actually crossed the lines set by the high command in Davanagere.

In conclusion, there is little doubt that the mistakes committed by the Congress leadership during the Davanagere by-election will cost the party dearly in the upcoming Assembly elections.