RV Deshpande faces backlash from Bhatkal Tanzeem members over repeated neglect
Bhatkal: In an incident reported on Monday, the executive committee members of Majlis Islah wa Tanzeem Bhatkal expressed their dissatisfaction towards former Karnataka minister R. V. Deshpande during a gathering held at the Majlis Islah wa Tanzeem office in Bhatkal on Monday.
According to reports, the executive members expressed their discontent over the lack of support and assistance from Deshpande over the years, despite consistently voting in his favor in multiple elections. Tensions escalated during a meeting on Sunday, where Deshpande and Karnataka minister Mankal S. Vaidya visited the Tanzeem to discuss the upcoming general elections scheduled for May 7th in the Uttara Kannada district.
Allegations were made by the Tanzeem members that their longstanding support for Deshpande over the past three decades had not translated into tangible benefits for the Bhatkal constituency or its residents. This led to a heated exchange between the members and Deshpande, with the former minister expressing surprise and hurt at the claims made against him.
Abdul Raqeeb MJ, the General Secretary of Majlis Islah wa Tanzeem Bhatkal, confirmed the discontent among Tanzeem members, stating that there has been a growing dissatisfaction against Deshpande among the people of Bhatkal for several years. He criticized Deshpande for what was perceived as a lack of significant contributions to the development of Bhatkal and surrounding areas, especially in comparison to neighboring districts and constituencies.
"There is a General anger against the Congress party in general and Deshpande in particular. Because we have been seeing him as the senior most politician in the region and one who has sought votes from our community in all the elections in the last four decades but has not worked for the development of Bhatkal and the Muslim community here. He always believes that people of Bhatkal are rich and can take care of their development by themselves and that they do not need aid from the government or the ministries." He said.
Raqeeb also severely criticised the Congress party for what he described as neglecting the Muslim community on core issues such as triple talaq and hijab controversies, despite relying on their votes. He emphasized that while the Muslim community has consistently supported the Congress party, their concerns have often been overlooked, leaving them to face challenges alone.
Regarding the elections, Raqeeb mentioned that the Tanzeem is collaborating with other Muslim organizations in the Uttara Kannada district to address their concerns and issues, including those at the national level, with the Congress candidate.
The altercation reportedly led to a few members losing their composure, but the situation was eventually brought under control. Deshpande, while leaving the premises, expressed his dismay at being blamed for the lack of development in Bhatkal and its surrounding areas.
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Bhopal gas tragedy: Effects of leak seen in next generation of survivors, says ex-forensic doctor
Bhopal (PTI): The effects of poisonous gases that leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal 40 years ago were seen in the next generations of those who survived the tragedy, a former government forensic doctor has said.
At least 3,787 people were killed, and more than five lakh were affected after a toxic gas leaked from the pesticide factory in the city on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984.
Speaking at an event held by organisations of gas tragedy survivors on Saturday, Dr D K Satpathy, former head of the forensics department of Bhopal's Gandhi Medical College, said he performed 875 post-mortems on the first day of the disaster and witnessed 18,000 autopsies the next five years.
Sathpathy claimed Union Carbide had denied questions about the effects of poisonous gases on unborn children of women survivors and said effects would not cross the placental barrier in the womb in any condition.
He said blood samples of pregnant women who died in the tragedy were examined, and it was found that 50 per cent of poisonous substances found in the mother were also found in the child in her womb.
Children born to surviving mothers had the poisonous substances in their system, and this affected the health of the next generation, Sathpathy claimed and questioned why research on this was stopped.
Such effects will continue for generations, he said.
Satpathy said it was said that MIC gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant, and when it came in contact with water, thousands of gases were formed, and some of these caused cancer, blood pressure and liver damage.
Rachna Dhingra of Bhopal Group for Information and Action said Satpathy, who carried out most autopsies, and other first responders in the 1984 disaster, including the senior doctors in the emergency ward and persons involved in mass burials, narrated their experiences during the event.
Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, a poster exhibition covering every aspect of the disaster will be held till December 4 to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy.
An anniversary rally will be organised, with focus on global corporate crimes such as industrial pollution and climate change, she said.
