Karnataka police book Aaj Tak’s Sudhir Chaudhary for ‘promoting communal hatred through lies’

Riyadh: The Indian Engineers Forum – Saudi Arabia (IEF KSA) has announced the results of the elections held on Thursday, August 31, 2023. Er. Mohammad Sayeeduddin, for the Position of Chairman (IEF KSA) and Er. Farhan Ahmed Hashmi – for the position of General Secretary (IEF KSA), have been elected unopposed.

The election process for these positions was conducted in strict adherence to the guidelines and procedures outlined in IEF Charter. We ensured that every member's voice was heard, and that the elections were fair, transparent, and conducted with utmost integrity. First and foremost, we would like to express deepest gratitude to all the candidates who participated in this election. 

Er. Mohammad Sayeeduddin shall be replacing Er. Amir Khan, who led the IEF successfully as Chairman for the last 15 years. During his tenure IEF expanded its chapters in five major cities of the Kingdom, namely Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Yanbu and Jubail. It is a unique and only organization in Kingdom representing Indian Engineers and Technical Manpower of India.

Er. Mohammad Sayeeduddin is an Electrical Engineer worked in Saudi Electricity Co for 23 years is an active social activist. He was also the President of Jeddah Chapter.

While Er. Farhan Ahmad Hashmi is a Computer Engineer and a Business Coach with an MBA from UK, he has been working in management positions in the Kingdom for the last 18 years. He was also the President of IEF Riyadh Chapter.

Under the leadership of above Team, IEF shall continue to fulfil its mission of Building a Better Tomorrow.

The IEF KSA also wants to emphasize that its strength lies in its democratic values and the active participation of its members. The IEF KSA’s continued success depends on the continued involvement and dedication of its members to its shared goals.

The IEF KSA thanks all of its members for their support and looks forward to working with them to achieve even greater things in the future.

About the Indian Engineers Forum – Saudi Arabia

The Indian Engineers Forum – Saudi Arabia (IEF KSA) is a non-profit organization operating under the patronage of the Embassy of India and is dedicated to promoting the interests of Indian engineers in Saudi Arabia. The IEF KSA provides a forum for engineers to network, share knowledge, and advocate for their professional interests. The IEF KSA also organizes a variety of events and activities to support the professional development of its members.

IEF Chapter Presidents

Riyadh: Er. Syed Faisal; Jeddah: Er. Mustafa Khan; Dammam: Er. MZ Nadeem; Jubail: Er. Tasneem Akhtar; Yanbu: Er. Quadeer Baig

Er. Masood Ali,
Head Election Committee, IEF

A rare, powerful earthquake that struck Morocco late Friday night, killing hundreds of people and damaging historic buildings, was "exceptional", according to an expert. According to latest reports at least 632 people died and 329 were injured in the quake.

Residents of Marrakech, the nearest big city to the epicentre, said some buildings had collapsed in the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and local television showed pictures of a fallen mosque minaret with rubble lying on smashed cars.

Earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa. Speaking to Moroccan news network 2M TV, Lahcen Mhanni, Head of the Seismic Monitoring and Warning Department at the National Institute of Geophysics, said, "Mountainous regions in general do not produce earthquakes of this size,” he said. "It is the strongest earthquake recorded in the region.”

In 1960, a magnitude 5.8 tremor struck near the Moroccan city of Agadir and caused thousands of deaths. The Agadir quake prompted changes in construction rules in Morocco, but many buildings, especially rural homes, are not built to withstand such tremors.

Shallow quakes more dangerous

The US Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11.11pm (3.11am UAE time), with shaking that lasted several seconds. The US agency reported a magnitude-4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later.

The USGS said the epicentre was 18 kilometres below the Earth’s surface, while Morocco’s seismic agency put it at 8 kilometres down. In either case, such shallow quakes are more dangerous.

The epicentre of Friday's tremor was high in the Atlas Mountains, roughly 70 kilometres south of Marrakech. It was also near Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa and Oukaimeden, a popular Moroccan ski resort.

The quake was felt as far away as Portugal and Algeria, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and Algeria's Civil Defense agency, which oversees emergency response.

Bengaluru, Sept 14: The Karnataka police have registered an FIR against anchor Sudhir Chaudhary for “conspiring to disrupt communal harmony” in a show hosted by him on the Aaj Tak news channel during which he talked about the state government’s commercial vehicle subsidy scheme.

Chaudhary was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for promoting enmity between groups by the Sheshadripuram police in Bengaluru, based on a complaint filed by an official of the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation.

In the show, Chaudhary had allegedly claimed subsidies were being provided only for minorities in Karnataka and not for Hindus, the FIR said. “The show claimed that the scheme meted injustice to poor Hindus in the state” and “conspired to disturb communal harmony in the state,” according to the FIR.

While Chaudhary is accused number one in the case, the chief editor and the organiser of Aaj Tak are accused number two and three respectively.

After the show was aired on the channel on September 11, the Karnataka government had threatened legal action against the anchor for deliberately spreading misinformation on government schemes. The schemes offered subsidies for members of the minority community to buy commercial vehicles.

An advertisement published in a newspaper about the scheme had also triggered a row as BJP MPs alleged that the scheme highlighted ‘minority appeasement’ under Congress rule.

On its part, the government maintained the scheme has been in existence for several years under different development corporations meant for the welfare of various communities. Similar schemes existed for other groups too, the government said, adding that the subsidy scheme for minorities existed even under the Bharatiya Janata Party rule.

Karnataka IT/BT minister Priyank Kharge had posted on X after the show was aired, saying it was “deliberate & malicious” and that the government would take necessary action.

The decision to file an FIR against the anchor was criticised by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who accused the Karnataka government of going on a “witch-hunt” against the anchor for asking legitimate questions about the implementation of a government scheme.

“This state led witch-hunt is a direct assault on the freedom of press. Whether it’s political opponents or independent media that asks uncomfortable questions, the Congress Govt is going after everyone by abusing the law,” Surya said in a post on X.