Kasaragod: Little Brothers Kokkechal mark third annual 'Christmas Fiesta'
Manjeshwara(Mangalpady): Little Brothers Kokkechal, a registered cultural club celebrated its third annual 'Christmas Fiesta' at Kokkechal junction here on Monday(Dec 25). The event was graced by the presence of chief guest Moosa Kunhi, Principal Manavatti Beevi English School, Dharmanagara and Baby Shetty, former Block Panchayat Member and social worker.
The organisation's president, Prakash, extended a warm welcome to all attendees, highlighting the spirit of unity and inclusivity in his inaugural speech.
Addressing the gathering, Former Block Panchayat member, Baby Shetty highlighted the significance of the organisation's activities in the town and stressed on Jesus Christ's message of spreading love, regardless of religions. She further stated that," Christmas Fiesta serves as a platform for people of all faiths to come together and celebrate Christmas."
Moosa Kunhi D, speaking about the unity in diversity in India said, "India is like a beautiful flower garden with many varieties of flowers. Unlike other countries who have a state religion, India is diverse."
Avinash Machado, Congress Leader and Panchayat Member, commending the organization's contributions, remarked, "The club has played a significant role in the development of this region."
Various programs, including carol singing, dance and a Tulu Drama by 'Amma Kalavider Kudla,' added vibrancy to the festivities.
Sketch titled 'Ammer' performed by 'Amma Kalavider Kudla' (Courtesy:Peter Dsouza)
Adding glamour to the celebration, Several renowned Tulu Cinema Actors, including Kantara movie fame Deepak Rai Panaje also performed in the drama.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion included, Fr. Vishal Monis (Parish Preist, Christ King Church Kayyar), Sr. Jasmine Lewis (Superior, Vijaya Jesuraj Convent Kayyar), Avinash Machado (Paivailike Panchayat Member), Roshan Dsouza and Zeena Dsouza (Parish Pastoral Parishad, Christ King Church Kayyar).
Image Courtesy: Peter Dsouza
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
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.
