Bidar, April 12: The Third National Convention of the Quresh Conference was successfully organized on a large scale in Bidar on Saturday, bringing together over 270 community representatives from across India to deliberate on the pressing social, economic, and educational challenges faced by the Qureshi community.
The event was held at the SM Hangargi Function Hall under the chairmanship of advocate Sanobar Qureshi, the national president of the Quresh Conference. Leaders and delegates from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi attended the convention and presented issues from their respective regions.
Addressing the gathering, Sanobar Qureshi emphasized that despite the Qureshi community comprising over 6.5 crore people in India, they continue to face exclusion from key government schemes and opportunities. He urged the government to grant the same status to the Qureshi community and meat traders as it does to farmers, stating that meat trading is also a legitimate source of livelihood that supports many families across the country.
He criticized the closure of slaughterhouses in several parts of the country, calling it a blow to employment and a contradiction to the government’s stated goal of promoting job creation. He stressed the need for modern, hygienic, and government-supported slaughterhouses to be constructed in every district, enabling the community to conduct its trade within lawful frameworks and with dignity. Sanobar also underlined the importance of promoting education among community members to build awareness and social empowerment.
Several community leaders addressed the convention and shared insights. Among them were Afsar Qureshi from Jharkhand, Muhammad Ashiqeen Qureshi from Delhi, Sadiq Qureshi from Maharashtra, Mukhtar Qureshi from Bombay, Abdul Qayyum Qureshi from Rajasthan, and Moin Khalil Qureshi and Munira Qureshi from Pune. They raised issues ranging from lack of representation to the negative impact of current laws on the community’s traditional business of meat trading.
Karnataka state president Muhammad Nabi Qureshi, who organized the event, welcomed the attendees and emphasized the need for collective action to address the various challenges confronting the Qureshi community. He said that the primary aim of the convention was to bring together the community across the country, confront internal social issues, promote education, and work on strategies to protect and support traditional businesses. He added that coordinated representation before the government is essential to secure the community’s rights.
One of the notable moments of the convention was the felicitation of Majid Bilal, a well-known social worker from Bidar, recognized for his service of burying more than 3,000 unclaimed and unidentified bodies over the years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of caste or religion.
The conference concluded with a strong call for unity and sustained engagement with the state and central governments to ensure that the Qureshi community is given its due place in society. The organizers received appreciation from the participants for hosting the convention in an orderly and impactful manner.
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New Delhi (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu on Friday departed for Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis later this week.
She is accompanied by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju; Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian; and Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Joshua De Souza, her office said in a post on X.
Murmu will be on a two-day visit to Vatican City and offer condolences on behalf of the government and people of India.
"President Droupadi Murmu departs for Vatican City to attend the State Funeral of HH Pope Francis," read the post from the President's secretariat.
Francis, who was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years, died on Easter Monday. He was 88.
Murmu will pay homage to Pope Francis by laying a wreath at Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City on Friday.
"On April 26, the president will attend the funeral Mass of His Holiness Pope Francis at Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City, which will be attended by dignitaries from around the world," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
India declared a three-day state mourning on the passing of Pope Francis.