2 brothers who survived Gulbarg massacre contesting LS poll
Ahmedabad:Two brothers, who survived the 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre here, are contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Gujarat.
Imtiyaz Khan Pathan (42) is a candidate of the Apna Desh Party from Kheda, while his elder brother Firoz Khan Pathan (45) has filed his nomination as an Independent from Gandhinagar, where he is pitted against BJP chief Amit Shah.
The Pathan brothers lost as many as 10 members of their family, including their mother and grandmother, when an angry mob attacked the Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad after the 2002 Godhra train burning incident.
Imtiyaz Khan now lives in Gomtipur area of the city while his elder brother resides in Vejalpur, which falls under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat.
While Imtiyaz Khan is the key prosecution witness in the Gulberg case, his brother had lodged a complaint against social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand for alleged misuse of funds collected for the riot victims.
"By deciding to contest from Gandhinagar, I want to give a message to Amit Shah that I am coming to fight against you," Firoz Khan said.
"Though I am a Muslim, many of my Hindu friends have extended their support to me. I am confident that Hindus will give me votes, as my ultimate aim is to establish communal harmony. I will embark on a door-to-door campaign in the coming days," he said.
Ever since he turned against Setalvad, he was perceived as a supporter of the BJP.
However, Firoz Khan claimed he has not taken the plunge into electoral politics just to help the saffron party by dividing the anti-BJP votes.
"If that was the case, I may have became a crorepati by know. But, I still live in a small flat and own only a scooter. I am fighting the poll so that I can represent minorities in Parliament as there is no Muslim MP from Gujarat since long. I am also fighting to spread the message of communal harmony," he asserted.
Echoing similar views, Imtiyaz Khan said both the BJP and Congress did nothing for the riot victims.
"We are victims of the 2002 riots. We are fighting for justice since last 17 years. Firoz and I lost our mother, grandmother and eight other relatives. The BJP and Congress did nothing for people like us," he said.
"I am fighting this election because I strongly believe there must be a leader of minorities who can raise our issues at the national-level," he said.
Though Dalits, Thakors and Patels have their leaders in Gujarat, there is no one for Muslims, he said.
"I also want to spread the message of peace and harmony, so that no other community has to suffer what we went through," the younger sibling said.
Sixty eight people, including former MP Eehsan Jafri, were killed at Gulberg Society on February 28, 2002, a day after the S-6 Coach of the Sabarmati Express was burnt at Godhra, triggering riots in Gujarat.
Polling in all 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held on April 23, and the results will be announced on May 23.
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Bearys education announces ‘campus connect & talent hunt 2026,' offers up to 100% scholarships
Mangaluru: Bearys Education has announced the launch of its “Campus Connect & Talent Hunt 2026,” scheduled to be held on April 11 at the Bearys Knowledge Campus near Mangalore University in Innoli.
The initiative, aimed at promoting academic excellence and student empowerment, will offer scholarships of up to 100 percent on tuition fees for meritorious candidates.
The programme seeks to identify and support students aspiring to pursue Pre-University Course (PUC), degree, engineering and architecture programmes.
The event is open to students from SSLC (Class 10), PUC (Class 12), Diploma and ITI streams, along with their parents. Organisers said the day-long programme will focus on guidance, engagement and opportunities for students planning their academic future.
A Talent Hunt Examination will be conducted on April 11 at 9.30 am, with eligibility extended to students completing SSLC and PUC in 2026. Based on their performance, candidates will be considered for scholarships of up to 100 per cent.
The event will also feature a career guidance and counselling session led by Ameen-E-Mudassar, CEO of CIGMA. In addition, a technical and science expo showcasing student-led innovations, along with a food festival, will be organised as part of the programme.
Organisers stated that the initiative reflects the institution’s focus on quality education, personality development and integrity, while marking over 120 years of educational service.
Interested participants can register before April 8 by scanning the QR code provided in the official announcement (provided below) or by contacting 89704 96949, 81239 04351, or 99000 66888.
