‘Hefty fare collected from Hajj pilgrims’
Minister Zameer Ahmed apprises centre
Bengaluru, July 02: Minority Welfare and Hajj and Wakf Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan said that he has apprised the central government that hefty flight fare was being collected from the Hajj pilgrims of the state.
Speaking to Varthabharati on the sideline of the Assembly Session at Vidhana Soudha in the city on Monday, the Minister said that he noticed that all fares like travel expenses, accommodation in Mecca and Madina, and luggage expenses were increased. After he had become the Minister, he had discussed those issues with the officials. Instead of the government of India and Hajj Committee, if the state government made all arrangements for the Hajj pilgrims, each pilgrim would save minimum Rs 70000, he said.
Compared to the fee being charged to the pilgrims by the Indian Haj Committee, the accommodation facility being given to Azizia category was not good. Accommodation could be made near the Kaaba Bhavan. But the Indian Haj Committee has been providing accommodation far away, he said.
There was no need to get any subsidy from the Centre. If the government allotted the share in the quota being allotted to India by the Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrims, it would be enough. He brought to the notice of the central minister that the state government was capable of providing all facilities to the Hajj pilgrims.
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi responded positively and asked him to come to Delhi again after completing the Hajj pilgrimage of this season. Total 18000 applications were filed from the state for Hajj pilgrimage. Among them, 6624 persons were selected through lottery and 11500 applications were in waiting list. So, he has urged the central minister to hike 2000 seats more for the state, he added.
But Naqvi said that ‘You have come for the first time after becoming the minister. If you had come two months earlier, something could have been done. But a meeting would be held within a week and after that, I would try to increase at least 1000 quota’, he added.
From Bengaluru airport, the first team of Hajj pilgrims would start on August 1. On July 31, the flight travel would be inaugurated officially, he said.
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Brahmavar: Four arrested in Kotathattu murder case
Brahmavar: Police have arrested four persons in connection with the murder of a 30-year-old man following a quarrel after a drinking party at Kotathattu Padukere in Brahmavar taluk.
The deceased has been identified as Santhosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere. The arrested accused are Darshan (21) of Parampalli Padukere, Kaushik (21) of Neeradi Jeddu, Sasthan Pandeshwar, and Ankit (19) and Sujan (21), both residents of Kotathattu Padukere. All four have been produced before the court.
According to the police, the incident occurred on the evening of December 14. Santhosh, along with Sachin, Chethan, Kaushik, Sujan and Darshan, had gone to a bar and later came to the Padukere Circle, where they had food and were conversing. During this time, an argument broke out between the groups over issues related to Santhosh’s family and alcohol consumption. The verbal altercation escalated, with the accused allegedly abusing Santhosh and assaulting him together.
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It is alleged that during the scuffle, Darshan struck Santhosh forcefully on the back of his neck with his hand, while Kaushik also assaulted him. Though others attempted to intervene and stop the fight, Santhosh collapsed at the spot.
He was later rushed to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him brought dead. A case has been registered at Kota Police Station in this regard.
Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T and Station SI Mantesh Jabha Gowda visited the spot and conducted an inspection. Further investigation is underway.
