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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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
