Prominent Muslim leader, former minster Qamarul Islam passes away

coastaldigest.com news network
September 18, 2017

Bengaluru, Sept 18: Qamarul Islam, former minister and prominent Muslim leader and educationist from the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, passed away following a brief illness in the city on Monday. He was 69.

The veteran Congress leader was admitted to hospital 11 days ago for cellulitis of the leg and poor cardiac function.

Dr. Shivaprasad, Senior Consultant and In-charge of Medical ICU, Department of Critical Care at Narayana Health said that he had hypertension, diabetes and was also under treatment for Myasthenia Gravis, a neuromuscular disorder. He died of cardiogenic shock and multi organ failure in the hospital at noon on Monday, the doctor said.

Qamarul Islam had a long political career. He represented Kalaburagi (North) constituency and was Wakf Minister in Siddaramaih cabinet. But, he was dropped from the cabinet in last year’s reshuffle.

As a mark of respect to the departed leader, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee has cancelled all its scheduled programmes on Monday.

Qamarul Islam is former Member of Parliament and 6 time MLA. He started his political career through Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in 1978. He had won elections as a Muslim League, Indian National League, Janata Dal and Congress candidate at various times. He was elected to Karnataka Legislative Assembly during the terms 1978-83, 1989-1994, 1994-96, 1999-2004, 2008-2013  and 2013-2017.

He was Member of Parliament from 1996–1998 and also the cabinet minister for Housing and Labour in the administration led by Chief Minister S.M. Krishna from October 1999 to May 2004 and he also served as cabinet minister for Municipal administration, Public Enterprises, Minority Development and waqf led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah cabinet from May 2013 to June 2016.

Qamar ul Islam was born to Noorul Islam in Gulbarga on 27 January 1948. He completed his Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from PDA College of Engineering, Gulbarga.

He first stood elections in PDA and became the president of the students union, becoming the 1st and last Muslim student to hold the post of students union president in PDA College.

He is professionally an engineer, trader and industrialist, social worker, educationist and an avid sportsperson who enjoys cricket and table tennis during his leisure time.

Qamar Ul Islam has also chaired numerous charitable trusts such as Hazrath Shaik Minhajuddin Ansari Kallerawan Charitable Trust, running K.C.T. Engineering College, Polytechnic Colleges Gulbarga; Hyderabad Karnataka Urdu Front; Meraj Noor Educational and Charitable trust running B.Ed, B. Pharma, D. Pharma & Nursing Colleges and Al Qamar Nursing College.

Also Read: Quamarul Islam: An engineer, sportsman, educationist, community leader and politician

Comments

Rakesh
 - 
Monday, 18 Sep 2017

He was a Great politician. RIP

Unknown
 - 
Monday, 18 Sep 2017

Big loss to us. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiwun

Ibrahim
 - 
Monday, 18 Sep 2017

Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiwoon

Rahim
 - 
Monday, 18 Sep 2017

Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 1,2025

hindutvaboy.jpg

Udupi, Dec 1: A horrific case of alleged rape has unfolded in Udupi, where a worker from a Hindutva organisation, previously arrested and released on bail for harassing a young woman, is now accused of waylaying and sexually assaulting her.

The arrested individual has been identified as Pradeep Poojary (26), a member of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike's Nairkode unit in Perdur.

Poojary had allegedly been relentlessly harassing the young woman, pressuring her to marry him. When she bravely stood up to him and refused his demands, she filed a formal complaint at the Hiriyadka police station. He was subsequently arrested in that initial harassment case but was later granted bail.

According to police reports, driven by the same malicious grudge, Poojary allegedly intercepted the woman again on November 29. While she was walking through a deserted area, the accused is claimed to have threatened her by grabbing her neck. When she again refused to marry him, he allegedly proceeded to rape her.

The survivor immediately informed her family about the traumatic assault. Following this, her parents lodged a complaint at the Udupi women’s police station.

Police arrested Poojary again and produced him before the court. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
November 28,2025

ministerPM.jpg

Mangaluru, Nov 28: Karnataka Health Minister and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday handed over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the severe distress faced by farmers due to crashing crop prices.

PM Modi arrived at the Mangaluru International Airport en route to Udupi, where Gundu Rao welcomed him and submitted the letter. The chief minister’s message stressed that farmers are suffering heavy losses because maize and green gram are being bought far below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The state urged the Centre to immediately begin procurement at MSP.

According to the letter, Karnataka has a bumper harvest this year—over 54.74 lakh metric tons of maize and 1.98 lakh metric tons of green gram—yet farmers are unable to secure fair prices. Against the MSP of ₹2,400/MT for maize and ₹8,768/MT for green gram, market rates have plunged to ₹1,600–₹1,800 and ₹5,400 respectively.

The chief minister has requested the Centre to:

• Direct NAFED, FCI and NCCF to start MSP procurement immediately.
• Ensure ethanol units purchase maize directly from farmers or FPOs.
• Increase Karnataka’s ethanol allocation, citing high production capacity.
• Stop maize imports, which have depressed domestic prices.
• Relax quality norms for green gram, allowing up to 10% discoloration due to rains.

The letter stresses that MSP is crucial for farmer dignity and income stability and calls for swift central intervention to prevent a deepening crisis.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 3,2025

arrival.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.