Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu Urdu, DK and Udupi districts is set to host the Urdu poetry festival, 'Urdu Mehfil-e-Mushair,' at the Town Hall in Mangaluru on Friday, November 24, with the aim of promoting Urdu language, literature, and culture. The event, scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm, will feature renowned Urdu poets from Karnataka and other states.

The event is sponsored by Nasir Syed, a distinguished NRI businessman and founder-president of the CHS Group of Dubai. Abdul Salam Madani, President of Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, announced the event through a press release.

Participating poets include Azizuddin Aziz Belgaumi from Bengaluru, Dr. Mohammed Haneef Shabab, and Syed Ahmed SaliK from Bhatkal, Siraj Sholapuri from Mumbai, Rahmatullah Rahmat from Shivamogga, Usama Qazi Asad Karnataki from Gangolli, and Abdul Salam Madani from Mangaluru. Nasir Syed will chair the event.

The program will not only feature poetic performances but also include the distribution of prizes for various competitions and the acknowledgment of emerging talents.

Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu President has urged Urdu poetry enthusiasts to actively participate in the event along with their friends and family members.

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Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.

The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.

"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.

Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.

The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."

Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.

"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.

Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.

He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.

"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.