Honouring achievers in memory of great personalities is an ideal gesture: Abdul Ahad Puthige
TRF presents BA Mohideen, Maulana EM Shafi Memorial Awards
Mangaluru, November 15: “Identifying the achievers and honouring them in memory of the first education minister of the country, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad who laid a strong foundation for education in the country, and former minister BA Mohideen and Maulana EM Shafi who had given priority to educational empowerment of the community , is an exemplary work”, said Bengaluru Whitefield Division DCP Abdul Ahad Puthige.
He was speaking as a Chief Guest at the National Education Day and Alhaj BA Mohideen and Alhaj Maulana EM Shafi Memorial Awards organized by the Talent Research Foundation at Talent Conference Hall here on Thursday. The DCP said that Abul Kalam Azad was not only an educationist, but also a religious scholar. Most importantly, he was a true patriot. He had strongly opposed the division of the country on religious grounds. BA Mohideen and Maulana EM Shafi had emulated his ideals. As a result, BA Mohideen had revolutionized education in Beary Muslim community in coastal region. Being a Khatib in various masjids, ayurvedic doctor and having scholarly knowledge in Arabic and Persian languages, Maulana Shafi had followed high thinking with simple living, he said.
AK Mushtaq, son of former minister BA Mohideen, inaugurated the programme, which was presided over by TRF founder president Abdur Rauf Puthige. Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences Syndicate Member Prof. UT Iftikar Ali, City Corporation Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer, Bearys Chamber of Commerce and Industries president SM Rasheed Haji, Azad Group of Companies Managing Director Mansoor Ahmed, Jamiatul Falah founder Iqbal Yusuf participated in the programme.
Puthige Builders' MD, Fateh Mohammed Puthige was present. TRF president Riyaz Kannur welcomed the guests. General secretary Hameed Kannur delivered keynote address. Jaseem Sajipa proposed vote of thanks and Shahid Melkar compared the programme.
Award presentation
Noted personalities Mohammad Tajuddin Rehmani (best Khatib), Yakub Koyyur (best teacher), Umarul Farooq Darimi (best Madrasa Ustad), Anjuman Educational Institution Jokatte (model education institution), Mahadanul Uloom Madrasa Kallega (best environment-friendly madrasa), Dr Umar Beejadakatte, Mohan Rai Valemundovu and Rohiy Sanktas (good will), V Mohammed (life saver) were given the Alhaj BA Mohideen Memorial Awards.
Five Star Young Boys of Addur, Safar Sports and Cultural Association of Manchila Ullala, Millennium Brothers Kolpe (best sports club award with social service), Syed Hashim Cherikoya Tangal (special award) were given Alhaj Maulana EM Shafi Memorial Awards.
The portrait of the first education minister of the country, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was unveiled on the occasion. It was also declared that the portrait would be handed over to five government schools.
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Constitution amendment bill defeat was BJP’s first embarrassment in Parliament: Margaret Alva
Bengaluru (PTI): Senior Congress leader Margaret Alva on Monday said that the constitution amendment bill's defeat in the Lok Sabha on April 17 was the first embarrassment faced by the BJP-led government in Parliament.
She also alleged that the BJP has no real concern regarding women’s reservation.
The opposition INDIA bloc defeated the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill that sought to facilitate the implementation of women's reservation by expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha, apart from making changes to delimitation.
"This is the first embarrassment and defeat faced by the NDA government in the Lok Sabha," the former Governor of Gujarat and Rajasthan said in a press conference here.
According to her, the women’s reservation has been under discussion since the time of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
"During Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, a 14-member committee was formed, and I was appointed as its chairperson. We prepared a report after studying what needed to be done to enhance the dignity of women across 12 sectors. This was submitted to the government in 1989,” Alva, 84-year-old veteran Congress leader, said.
She said political empowerment for women was emphasised in that report, without which, empowerment in any other sphere is not possible.
“Many people in Parliament used to question me — should we vacate seats for women and stay at home cooking? Why insist on this? Has anyone written these seats in your name? This debate has been ongoing since 1975,” Alva explained.
The Congress leader said Rajiv Gandhi had introduced 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies.
“At that time, all opposition parties united and defeated the Bill,” she pointed out.
Again, during the tenure of former Prime Minister late P V Narasimha Rao, the 33 per cent reservation Bill in local bodies was passed.
“It was the Congress party that first introduced women’s reservation. Now they are falsely accusing us of being anti-women,” Alva charged.
In 2023, the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed with much fanfare, but it was not immediately implemented.
According to her, a condition was imposed for its implementation that it would be enforced based on census data.
"Once it is in the statute book, what is preventing its implementation? Two years for the census and another two years for delimitation — this means it cannot be implemented by 2029. It was not given in 2024, and there is no possibility even in 2029," Alva charged the BJP-led government at the Centre.
The Congress leader said the BJP is saying that the Bill can be implemented based on the 2011 Census, but when the same suggestion was made in 2023, the BJP rejected it.
On increasing the Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent, she sought to know the basis for it.
“Where did this (idea) come from? Whose advice was taken? Was it decided by the RSS? Or ordered by a court?” Alva asked.
The former union minister said the Constitution amendment bill, which was defeated on April 17 appears to favour certain North Indian states.
“We pay taxes, but they receive greater benefits and allocations. If seats are increased by 50 per cent based on their calculations, we would get only 14 additional seats, while they would get 40. How is this fair?” she questioned.
While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority.
According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to "operationalise" the women's reservation act before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats were also to be increased in state and Union territory Assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
