M.A. Maula elected as new President of Udupi District Muslim Okkuta
Udupi: Popular businessman Muhammad Maula has been elected as the new president of the Udupi District Muslim Okkuta for the next two years. The decision was made during the 2025-26 general meeting held at the UBMC hall in Udupi.
M.A. Maula, known for his various social, educational and community activities, has previously served as the general secretary of the Okkuta twice and as the vice-president once.
Additionally, Yaseen Malpe, Idris Hoode, Iqbal Katapady, Rafiq Gangolli and Maulana Zamir Ahmed Rashadi Kandlur were elected as district committee members at the central level.
Taufiq Abdullah Navunda, Dr. Abdul Azeez Manipal, Abdurrahman Kannangar and Khalid Manipura were appointed as representatives of various organizations.
Abdul Aziz Udyawara, Yaseen Bengre, Syed Farid, Iqbal Manna, Shabbir Malpe, Irshad Nejar, V.S. Umar and Adil Hoode were elected as district committee members from Udupi taluk.
From Kundapura, Riyaz Kodi, Dastagir Kandloor, Shaban Hanglur, Mushtaq Hennabailu, and Hanif Gulwadi were elected.
Shabhi Ahmed Qazi, Nasir Ahmed Sharfuddin, Anwar Ali, Muhammad Azam Sheikh, and Muhammad Iqbal from Kaup taluk; Muhammad Ghouse, Ashfaq Ahmed, Nasir Sheikh, Muhammad Sharif Banglegudde, and Muhammad Sharif Renjala from Karkala taluk; Tajuddin Ibrahim, Ibrahim Kota, Asif Baikady, Aslam Haikadi, and Haroon Rashid Sastana from Brahmavar; and Shams Tabrez, Sheikh Fayyaz Ali, Amin Golihole, and Aftab Kiri Manjeshwara from Byndoor taluk, along with Tufail Shahabuddin, were elected.
In the subsequent district committee meeting, Ismail Hussain Katapady, Mustafa Saadi Mulur, T. M. Zafrullah Hoode, Khatib Rashid Malpe, Buaji Muhsin Byndoor, Sheikh Abdullatif Madani, Raihan Trasi, Abu Muhammad Mujawar Kundapur, Peer Saheb Adi Udupi, and B. Muhyuddin Katapady were co-opted as members of the district committee.
Maulana Abdur Raqib Nadvi, the General Secretary of Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem, Bhatkal, oversaw the election process.
The general assembly commenced with the recitation of the Quran by Maulana Zamir Ahmed Rashadi, the vice-president of Udupi district Muslim Okkuta. General Secretary Muhammad Idris Hoode delivered the introductory remarks, followed by Secretary Ismail Hussain, who presented the biennial report. Treasurer Syed Farid then presented the biennial accounts to the assembly. The session concluded with the presidential address delivered by Muhammad Yasin Malpe.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
