Mass resignations begin in Cong minority unit: Former Mangaluru Mayor Ashraf resigns from party
Mangaluru, May 29: The process of mass resignations from the Congress party has been initiated by members of the party’s minority unit in Dakshina Kannada, expressing dissatisfaction over the state government's handling of recent communal tensions and the murder of Abdul Rahman in the district.
The resignations come ahead of a crucial meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon (May 29) at Bolara Shadi Mahal, called by the Dakshina Kannada District Congress Minority Unit to discuss the ongoing atrocities against Muslims and what they described as the government’s inaction.
As a precursor to the meeting, several minority leaders began submitting their resignations on Wednesday evening, sending a message to the Congress leadership at the state and national levels. The move is being seen as an attempt to put pressure on the government to take stronger action against what they term as growing communalism and targeted violence in the region.
Former Mayor Ashraf, who was also serving as Vice President of the D.K. District Congress Committee, has officially announced his resignation from both the post and the party. In a statement, he said the Congress-led state government had failed to control atrocities by Sangh Parivar groups and curb the rise in hate speech and communal killings. He alleged that innocent individuals were being arrested, while officials were engaging in religious discrimination. He added that both police and intelligence agencies had failed to prevent Abdul Rahman’s murder despite open threats being issued in the district.
Ashraf also criticised the statement made by District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who had described Abdul Rahman’s murder as a result of personal enmity. Ashraf accused the minister of being misled by officials and demanded that the statement be withdrawn immediately, calling it insensitive and misleading.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
