Mangaluru's Noushad on walking journey to Hajj stranded in Riyadh without Hajj permission
Mangaluru: Noushad, a 25-year-old from Uppinangadi, Dakshina Kannada, has undertaken an extraordinary journey from Karnataka to Makkah, covering a remarkable distance of 8640 kilometers. His trek, initiated in January 2023, is not just a pilgrimage but a testament to determination and the pursuit of dreams against challenges.
Inspired by his mother's unfulfilled dream of walking to Makkah for the Hajj pilgrimage, Noushad adopted this aspiration as his own. His aim is to inspire the youth by demonstrating that dreams can be realized through persistent efforts.
Having faced bureaucratic hurdles during his initial attempt in 2021, where he covered 3500 kilometers from Karnataka to Kashmir, Noushad retraced his steps. Undeterred, he embarked on a second attempt, overcoming visa challenges to enter Pakistan by foot. Despite being advised to take a flight from Pakistan to Oman due to extreme weather and security concerns, he resumed his journey from Muscat, walking through the UAE and reaching Riyadh after covering 7800 kilometers.
Currently stationed in Riyadh, Noushad faces a new challenge—he lacks the crucial Hajj permission despite being on an Umrah visa.
"It was my mother's dream to walk to Makkah for Hajj, and since she couldn't take the up the journey by walk, I made that dream mine. I want to inspire the youth that dreams can be achieved," Noushad said while he awaits for a solution to his issue of acquiring a Hajj permission.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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