Mangaluru:  Industrialist and Philanthropist Usman Kukkady breathed his last at a private hospital in the city on Monday night following brief illness. 

Kukkady, aged 56, was a respected industrialist, and also served as the Deputy Governor of Rotary International, and was partner in Uno Pack Industries and Plama Plywood.

Hailing from the popular Kukkady family of Baikampady, Usman Kukkady had earned a reputation not only for his business achievements but also for his dedication to social work.

He is survived by his wife, one son, one daughter and a large circle of relatives and friends. 

The mortal remains of Usman Kukkady have been kept at his brother, Abdul Kader Kukkady's residence near Surathkal Vidyadayini School. The final rites are scheduled to be held at Idgah Masjid, Krishnapura 7th Block at 11 am on Tuesday, said family sources.

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New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS were strengthening the wall standing in the path of Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs, even as he acknowledged that the UPA took steps to weaken that wall but not to the extent it should have.

Addressing the 'Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyaan', Gandhi also referred to the function held on Constitution Day in Parliament and said that it is his guarantee, that "Modi has not read" the Constitution.

"If PM Modi would have read this book then what he does daily, he would not do it," Gandhi said, displaying a copy of the Constitution of India.

Gandhi said the country's whole system is pitted against Dalits, Adivasis and backward class people.

He said a wall obstructs the path of Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs and Modi and the RSS are strengthening that wall by "adding cement to it".

"Slowly the wall (obstructing the path of SCs, STs, OBCs) is getting strengthened. Earlier, the UPA government gave MGNREGA, the land acquisition act, the right to food...those were ways to weaken that wall. Today, when I look back, I can say the UPA government did not weaken the wall to the extent it should have, it did not do it as strongly as it should have," Gandhi said.

"However, we used to make efforts to weaken that wall but they (the BJP) are strengthening that wall by adding concrete," the former Congress president said.

Gandhi said a caste survey being carried out in Telangana is a historic step and the Congress will do the same wherever it comes to power.