Malabar Group's social service is a model to emulate: Minister Khader
Malabar Housing Charity distributes cheques to homeless people
Mangaluru, November 30: Hailing the social concerns of Malabar Gold and Diamonds, Urban Development and Housing Minister UT Khader said that Malabar Group has helped hundreds of destitute people which is a model work to emulate.
Speaking as a chief guest at a cheques distribution programme for the homeless people under the Malabar CSR Housing Charity at the Malabar Gold and Diamonds auditorium at Falnir here on Friday, the Minister said that social service was real patriotism. Only elected representatives could not do anything to strengthen the country. Instead, everyone should participate in this process. Strong country could be possible only when every individual would live self-reliantly and the Malabar Gold has been working to supplement it, he said.
Every person would like to have his own house before he dies and it would be his dream. Interestingly, Malabar Gold was fulfilling that dream irrespective of castes, creeds and religions. It was a worth work to emulate in the society. The company has done a good work, he said.
MLA Vedavyas Kamath said that the Malabar Group, established in Calicut in 1993, has social concern along with its business acumen. In the last two decades, the Malabar Group, under its CSR activities, has been supplying medicines free of cost under Medical Charity, financial assistance to construct houses under Housing charity, empowering women under Empowerment Women-hood, scholarships, environmental conservations and other social activities and investing 5 per cent of its profit, he said.
Introducing the Medical Charity in 1999, it has distributed free medicines worth Rs 31 crore to more than six lakh patients. Under Malabar Housing Charity, instituted in 2004, it has given Rs 39 crore to construct 14,034 houses for the poor. Of which, in Mangaluru branch, the company has given Rs 1,06,56,793 to 220 beneficiaries, he said.
Zilla Panchayat president Meenakshi Shantigodu said that through Empowering Women-hood programme, it has provided Rs 4,03,07,250 scholarships to 19,326 girl students for higher education, of which, Rs 1,00,86,000 was given to 5343 students from Karnataka, she added.
As part of the environmental conservation, it has been conducting ‘Clean Mangaluru’ programme in association with the city corporation. Till date, the Malabar Group has invested Rs 81,22,02,934 for CSR activities and in this amount, Rs 1,42,99,775 was invested by the Mangaluru branch, she said.
Under the ‘Home for the Homeless’ scheme, financial assistance cheques were distributed to 45 beneficiaries on the occasion. City Corporation standing committee president Praveen Chandra Alva, ZP member Shahul Hameed, Malabar Gold and Diamonds director Karunakaran, Mangaluru store head Sarathchandran, Udupi store head Hafeez Rehman and others were present.
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Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao condemns removal of sacred thread during CET
Bengaluru (PTI): The controversy over the alleged removal of sacred threads and other religious symbols during the KCET examination intensified on Saturday, with Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao condemning the act as "inhuman" and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanding strict action, calling it a violation of religious rights.
Reacting to the incident at Krupanidhi College in Madivala, the Minister said the government had taken note of the matter and assured transparent action, even as police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.
“The inhuman act of asking students to remove their ear studs, bangles, hijab or sacred thread, and even cutting long sleeves with scissors thereby affecting their morale is unacceptable and condemnable,” Rao said in a post 'X'.
He asserted that examination centres must test students’ knowledge and not undermine their dignity, adding that the government would take stringent steps to prevent recurrence.
The Minister also urged affected students not to lose confidence, saying the government stood firmly with them.
Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Karnataka South, strongly condemned the incident, alleging that it had hurt the religious rights and self-respect of the Hindu community.
“The incident of students removing and cutting off their Janivaras during the CET examination has violated the religious rights, culture and self-respect of the Hindu community,” the organisation said in a press note.
Calling the sacred thread a symbol of religious heritage and dignity, it said, “Society will not tolerate any act that insults it,” and demanded a thorough probe and stringent action against those responsible.
It also pointed out that similar incidents had been reported in the state last year, terming the recurrence “unfortunate and condemnable.”
The organisation further alleged that such incidents were damaging the well-being of society and claimed that some schools and colleges are promoting hatred against the Hindu society.
The row erupted after students alleged that invigilators at the examination centre asked them to remove religious symbols, including the sacred thread, during the Common Entrance Test (CET).
Following the incident, an invigilator was suspended and police 'secured' three staff members for questioning.
The CET is conducted for admission to professional courses across the state.
