Bhatkal: Collective body of Jamaats rules against fielding Muslim candidate in assembly elections
Bhatkal: The representatives of collective body of Jamaats, in a meeting led by Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem here on Monday evening, decided not to field a Muslim candidate from Bhatkal in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The decision, however, proves to be a setback to the candidature of Inayatullah Shabandri, president of Tanzeem, who was considered a strong aspirant for the Bhatkal seat.
There had been heated debates regarding the fielding of a Muslim candidate in the constituency this year. There had also been an insistence that the Muslims, who have about 60,000 voters here, should unfailingly support a Muslim candidate.
In the backdrop of such demands and debates, the Tanzeem, which is a sociopolitical organization of Muslims in Bhatkal, called a meeting of collective body of Jamaats representatives here to discuss the issues. The meeting was attended by 48 representatives of various Jamaats, including those of Bhatkal, Shirali, Manki, Murudeshwara, Uppana, Samshi and Honnavar.
After much discussion at the meeting, followed by voting too, the plan to field a Muslim candidate was dropped. Most representatives in the Bhatkal area had supported the plan but a majority of the representatives from the Jamaats of the neighbouring areas had opposed it, as a result of which, it was decided not to give support a Muslim contestant.
The matter is learned to have been discussed earlier in a political affairs committee and executive committee meeting of the Tanzeem, where it was decided unanimously to field a Muslim candidate. When placed before the Sarva Jamaat, however, the decision taken at the Tanzeem meeting lost out.
Inayatullah Shabandri, who had contested the 2013 polls as a JD(S) candidate with the support of the Tanzeem, lost to the Independent candidate Mankalu Vaidya, in spite of getting more than 27,000 votes. The high number of votes he won, however, had fuelled the plan of fielding a Muslim candidate. In 2018, however, the JD(S) denied ticket to Shabandri as the Tanzeem had refused him support.
This year, Shabandri, who had high hopes of contesting and had even readied himself for a fight, is again disappointed with the decision of the Tanzeem. Being the president of the Tanzeem, however, Shabandri is forced to accept the decision of the organization.
The supporters had argued that there was excellent opportunity for a Muslim candidate to win the polls, as BJP legislator Sunil Naik is facing opposition in the party, while there are two factions in the Congress. In addition to such favourable winds, gaining other community members’ votes along with Muslim votes would ensure victory from a Muslim candidate, they argued. The decision in the Tanzeem meeting, however, proved a major setback for the argument.
Following the decision at the meeting, people are curious to find out whom the Tanzeem would support during this year polls.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Four doctors in Kerala booked for birth of newborn with genetic disorders
Alappuzha, (Kerala) (PTI): Four doctors in Kerala have been booked for allegedly failing to detect genetic disorders in a newborn while it was still in the mother's womb, the police said on Thursday.
The accused include two female doctors attached to the Kadappuram Government Women and Child Hospital in Alappuzha, along with two doctors from private diagnostic labs, according to the Alappuzha South police.
The police registered an FIR on Tuesday based on a complaint lodged by Anish and Surumi, a couple from Alappuzha.
They alleged that the doctors failed to detect or disclose the genetic abnormalities during prenatal scans, instead assuring them that the reports were normal.
The couple also claimed that they were shown the baby only four days after delivery, according to the complaint.
The FIR stated that Surumi, 35, was undergoing treatment for her third pregnancy at Kadappuram Women and Child Hospital.
On October 30, Surumi was admitted for delivery. However, she was referred to Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Vandanam, Alappuzha, citing the absence of fetal movement and heartbeat, the FIR said.
On November 8, the baby was delivered following surgery at MCH and was found to have severe internal and external deformities, the FIR stated.
Meanwhile, one of the accused doctors, responding to the allegations, said she had treated Surumi only during the initial months of her pregnancy.
"I provided care for three months at the beginning of her pregnancy. The reports shown to me indicated issues with the fetus's growth," she said.
The doctors associated with the diagnostic labs, however, maintained that there were no errors in the scan reports.
The police registered a case invoking Sections 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 125 (b) (where grievous hurt is caused, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused.
