Kolkata, Jan 9: Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan, who has been undergoing treatment at a Kolkata-based hospital for prostate cancer, died at a city hospital this afternoon, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

He was 55.

"We tried our best but failed. He passed away at around 3:45 PM," an official of the private hospital where Khan was admitted said.

The chief minister who visited the hospital said, "This is a great loss for the entire country and the entire music fraternity. I am in a lot of pain as I still can't believe that Rashid Khan is no more."

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Mysuru (Karnataka), Nov 13: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said there was a demand for four per cent reservation for Muslims in government tenders, but no decision has been taken yet on it.

Prominent Muslim leaders, including Karnataka Minister for Municipal Administration and Hajj, Rahim Khan, Congress MLAs and MLCs wrote to the chief minister on August 24 demanding to consider giving four per cent reservation to socially and economically backward Muslims in government contracts. The chief minister wrote on the petition on August 31 that the file should be put up, sources said.

"There was a demand for four per cent reservation, but we have not taken any decision yet," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

When asked about the BJP raking up this issue, he said, "The BJP wants to communalise everything. Their job is to create a rift between Hindus and Muslims. Did they ever wish peace in society?"

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra termed the purported move unhealthy.

"In a bid to woo the Muslim community, the @INCKarnataka government is going to give reservation in contracts as well, which will damage the health of a harmonious society," he said in a post on ‘X’.

He said it had become inevitable to protest against such stances of the Congress government.

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged in his post on social media 'X' saying what seemed like "shameless appeasement politics" to be a "cover for Congress corruption machine".