Sahebaan Welfare Trust launched with grand event in Mangalore
Mangalore: Sahebaan Welfare Trust (SWT), an NGO established in December 2023 for the welfare of the Sahebaan Community (Urdu-speaking Hanafi people from DK and Udupi districts), celebrated its launch with a gathering at Ocean Pearl Hotel Kodiyalbail, Mangalore.
The event witnessed the presence of more than 120 prominent members of the Sahebaan Community from both districts and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Imtiaz Khatib commenced the function with a Qirath recitation.
Afroz Assadi, the President of the Trust, extended a welcome to the gathering and expressed gratitude for their participation. Imtiaz Khatib, Trustee SWT, introduced the Trust, outlining its purpose and goals.
Prof Muzaffer Assadi, former Vice Chancellor of Mysore University, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the challenges faced by the Sahebaan community and emphasizing the need for improvement through education and skill development. Shabih Ahmed Kazi, Former President of Jamiyyatul Falah DK and Udupi districts, also addressed the occasion.
Siraj Ahmed, MD of Inland Infrastructure Pvt Ltd Mangalore, emphasized the importance of adapting to changes and called upon Sahebaan Youth to take the lead. Kota Ibrahim, Former President, Udupi Muslim Okkuta, lauded the formation of the trust and pledged support.
Syed Siraj Ahmed, Secretary of the Trust, explained that SWT is an offshoot of Sahebaan UAE, which has been active in the social and cultural activities of the community for over 30 years. He highlighted the migration of community members for employment, leaving the community unrepresented in DK and Udupi.
Mumtaz Hussain from Qatar spoke on Urdu culture and language, emphasizing the need to promote and nurture them. The event featured felicitations for individuals for their achievements and contributions to society, including Major D M Nizamuddin (Retd), B G Mohd, Dr. Safwan Ahmed, Dr. Fathima Raeesa, Ilham Dawood, and Aliya Imtiaz Khan.
Several dignitaries, including Mateen Ahmed, Haq Assadi, Meraj Yousef, Najmuddin Assadi, Mohd Akram, Asif Iqbal, Abid, and Zubeir Amber, were honored for their achievements and contributions to the community. Anshu Maryam effectively anchored the event, and the trustees, including Iqbal Manna, Rafiq Assadi, Althaf Khatib, and Sahil Zaheer, extended their support.
Aliya Imtiaz conveyed the vote of thanks, marking the successful launch of the Sahebaan Welfare Trust.
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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.
