Udupi, Sept 01: Mubarak Ali of Udupi informed that they were putting every possible effort for the acquittal of Shankar Poojary of Kundapur Taluk Aangalli Kalanje, who was arrested by Kuwait police for allegedly carrying drugs containing prohibited molecules while flying to Kuwait from his native place.

Addressing a press conference here, Mubarak Ali admitted that he had sent three types of medicines with Shankar on the basis of a prescription issued by KMC's doctor for his cousin Tasleem Fatima.

Besides giving the medicines prescribed by the doctor after purchasing them from the city's medical shop to Shankar Poojary, he had also sent homemade desserts, he informed.

I had given medical prescription and bills along with the medicines. But Shankara Poojary did not carry the bills. The Kuwait police arrested Shankar at the Kuwait airport on June 13 due to lack of proper documents for taking the medicines. After 20 days we learned from Shankar's wife Jyoti about his arrest, Mubarak Ali said.

Then we went to Kundapur police station and discussed with the inspector there. He then introduced us to Gopal Kalanje, general secretary of the BJP’s SC District Morcha, who is the neighbor of Shankar Poojary.

Later, as per his instruction, I submitted doctor's certificate, MRICD to Udupi MP Shobha Karandlaje and Mangaluru MP Nalin Kumar Kateel along with his letters. Also contacted the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait in Kuwait and making every effort to get Shankar released.

Shankar Poojary is innocent.

But Jyoti and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike President Ansar Ahmed are giving false statements without knowing the truth. But we have continued our struggle to get Shankar without paying heed to their statements. Shankar Poojary is innocent, and the problem was that the drugs we sent are banned in Kuwait. We were unaware of it. We will continue to put all our efforts and help him to get released," Mubarak Ali said.

Gopal Kalanje was present at the press conference.

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Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of seats of the Lok Sabha "betrayal of the woman power" of the nation.

A Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday.

In a post on X in Hindi, late on Friday night, Adityanath said, "Today, a dark chapter has been added to the history of India's great democracy. The Opposition's obstruction of the passage of the Constitutional Amendment Bill essential for the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' is a blow to the honour of 'Bharat Mata' (Mother India). It is a betrayal of the entire woman power of the nation; it is an infringement upon their democratic rights.

"The Congress-led 'INDI' alliance has exposed its anti-women mindset. The women of the nation are watching and understanding everything. They will remember this deceit and injustice, and when the time comes, they will surely give a reply. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, the NDA alliance will continue its unwavering efforts to protect the honour, dignity, and rights of women, and to ensure their empowerment."

While 298 members voted in support of the Bill in the Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. The Bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.

According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.

Seats were also to be increased in state and Union Territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.

This was for the first time that a Bill under the Modi government was defeated in Parliament.