Bhatkal, Oct 18: Those who want to become journalists must primarily learn how to read. How many papers, magazines, and books you read; that much good writer you will become. It is not possible to become a journalist without reading.

He was addressing after taking part at the concluding ceremony of the 'Journalism Workshop for Students' organized by the Majlis E Islah-w-Tanzeem Institute of Bhatkal in collaboration with the Media Center of Mangaluru.

"I do not completely agree that Muslims should come to the mainstream. Non-Muslims need to come to mainstream along with Muslims. If we take 100 prominent writers and litterateurs of Kannada, we would get at least 10 - 15 Muslims. There will be about 25 Dalits, 25 to 30 belonging to backward castes. But if we make a list of journalists, we would get only 10 - 15 journalists belonging to Ahinda classes. There are just one community members out there. We must understand that why the talented people of the Ahinda classes, who is capable of being a writer, poet, and litterateurs; cannot become journalists. The Ahinda class has to get the key to that field.

Today young writers are not writing much. We need to think seriously about this. When journalists question and write objectively regarding the issues prevailing within the community, then that community must accept and encourage.

Siasat Urdu daily's Managing Editor Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, former bureau chief of Khaleej Times and Gulf News Sayyed Khamar Hasan, Maulana Abdul Aleem Khatib of Bhatkal Jamia Masjid, and Editor-In-Chief of Vartha Bharati Abdussalam Puthige also spoke on the occasion.

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Kozhikode (Kerala) (PTI): A Kerala court on Wednesday sentenced a man to 41 years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor boy near Valayam in 2021.

Nadapuram Fast Track Special Court judge K Naushad Ali sentenced 64-year-old Panchara Musa, also known as Ganapathiyat Musa, under various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), according to special public prosecutor Manoj Aroor.

As the sentences are to run concurrently, the convict will have to serve the highest term of 20 years’ imprisonment, SPP Aroor said. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 52,000 on Musa.

The incident took place in August 2021 when the accused allegedly took the 14-year-old boy to a bus stop in Valayam town and sexually assaulted him, the prosecutor said. The accused also gave Rs 50 to the boy, he added.

Following the incident, the boy and his father lodged a complaint at the Valayam police station.

A case under various provisions of the POCSO Act and the IPC was registered, and the accused was subsequently arrested, the SPP said.

The prosecution examined 16 witnesses and submitted 16 documents to substantiate its case against the accused, he added.