Irregularities in selecting Hajj pilgrims, alleges woman
Bengaluru, Jan 23: Nusrat Raza, a beneficiary who was denied Hajj pilgrimage, alleged that both State Haj Committee and Minority Welfare Department have involved in irregularities in selecting Hajj pilgrimages for the present year.
Speaking to reporters at the Press Club here on Wednesday, she said that during present year, the central Haj Committee has fixed 6,701 quota for the state. But more than 14,000 people have applied for it. But the state Haj Committee, after selecting the beneficiaries under the central quota through Khurra (lottery), has informed the beneficiaries that you were not selected.
The Committee has conducted the Khurra process at Vidhana Soudha Banquet Hall on January 16 in which Minority Welfare Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, Committee president Roshan Baig, CEO Sarfraz Khan, Ministers, Religious leaders and state committee members were present.
As planned, in the beginning, Khurra of Bagalkot district was completed and later, Bengaluru Urban district held. In the same way, all 30 districts were covered. In that process, for Bengaluru urban district, lottery was held for 395 covers and in each cover, there would be three names. In the same way, total 994 names in 395 covers were selected and announced their names. But on the next day, she received a message that she was not selected for the Hajj pilgrimage from the Haj Committee, she alleged.
What went wrong?
The lottery was fixed on January 16. In order to avoid last minute lapses or mistakes, the officials have conducted rehearsal on January 15. Surprisingly, during the lottery on January 16, all the 395 covers of Bengaluru urban district were conducted as per the rehearsal list of January 15. This mistake was disclosed only after completing all 30 districts, she said.
In order to rectify the mistake of rehearsal, the officials held the lottery of Bengaluru urban district as per the January 16 list. So, due to the mistakes of officials, the beneficiaries who were selected during January 15 have lost the opportunity of pilgrimage. So, the minister should interfere and ensure justice to them. They were not interested for conflict. But they should be given opportunity. Otherwise, they would take up legal fight, she warned.
Action against erring officials: Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan
No irregularity was occurred in the present year selection process of Hajj pilgrims. Instead, some confusions were created due to some technical problems, for which, action would be taken against the erring officials, State Wakf and Hajj Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan said.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, the Minister said that the lottery process was fixed on January 16. In order to avoid last minute confusions, the officials have conducted experiment on January 15 and this has led to some confusions, for which he would tender apology, he said.
Central Haj Committee has allotted 6,701 seats for this year to the state. But more than 10,000 people have applied for the selection. Even the selection process would also be monitored by the central committee. Everybody wanted to conduct Hajj pilgrimage once in their lifetime. So, some people have experienced the confusion due to some technical issues. He would initiate enquiry into such mistake and take action, the Minister said.
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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.
