SDPI: Why only hajj subsidy cancellation? Why not others?

Media Release
January 18, 2018

The Central BJP government decision to abolish the subsidy given to Hajj pilgrimage is purely communal in nature, said Elyas Muhammad, national general secretary of Social Democratic Party of India.  He said, subsidy is not only being given to Hajj pilgrimage but to lots of other Hindu pilgrimages too.

Elyas said that the subsidy being given to Hajj pilgrimage is nothing but an eyewash. While Hajj pilgrims compel to pay an exhorbitant airfare which is actually double overcharge than the normal airfare during out of Hajj season. This excess amount of airfare charged by the airlines were actually compensated by the government in the form subsidy.

Hence, the subsidy from the government was not actually beneficial for Hajj pilgrims but yielded major profits only to Air India. Charging excess airfare from the pilgrims and ripping off the excess charges to Air India in the form of subsidy which is a well scripted drama which was both benefitted politically to BJP by so called metaphor 'minority appeasement' and 'helping Muslims' by Congress.

Elyas reiterated that, the citizens of this country should know the reality of this 'Subsidy politics' of the BJP government. In 2012, the subsidy amount was Rs.837 crores which has been decreased every year and in 2016-17 the centre had only allocated Rs.450 crores for Hajj of which major portion of this amount benefitted only Air India.  At the same time the centre and state governments have been providing thousands of crores of rupees to Hindu pilgrimage.

The central government spent Rs.1,150 crores on Allahabad Kumbh Mela and Maharashtra governmet spent Rs.2,500 crores for Nashik Kumbh Mela in 2014. The Union culture ministry had allocated Rs.100 crores to Madhya Pradesh government for 'Simhastha Mahakumbh' in Ujjain. MP government spent nearly Rs.3,400 crores on the even in 2016 and this is expected to rise to Rs.5,000 crores. The previous UP government started giving a grant of 50,000 to every pilgrims from the state to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, China.

Present Yogi government raised this amount to Rs.1 lakh.  Yogi government granted Rs.10,000 subsidy to every pilgrims from the state to Sidhu Darshan in Ladakh. The state governments in Chathisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand also provides financial supports to Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims.  The central government too spends major amounts on Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, Amarnath Yatra, Ganesh Chathurthi, Chhath Puja.

Elyas reiterated,  if Hajj subsidy can be abolished by the central government, why can’t it abolish the subsidies and financial aides to Hindu pilgrimages which runs several thousand crores every year? This will save thousands of crores of Rupees to government exchequer which can be used for the developmental works of poor women and children of this country. Central BJP government is always thinking communally to suppress the voice and dignity of the Muslims in many ways, now in the name of Hajj subsidy.

He said, Muslims doesn't need government's dramatic subsidy through hiking airfare and ripping off to airlines. Elyas said, the monopoly given to Air India to carry Hajj pilgrims must be abolished by allowing other airliners to provide services which enables cheaper airfare to Hajj pilgrims.

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News Network
May 4,2024

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mullai Muhilan MP said that election for the South West Teachers and Graduates constituencies will be held on June 3.

The notification for the same will be issued on May 9. The last date for filing nominations is May 16. The nominations must be submitted to Regional Commissioner in Mysuru and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is May 17.

The counting of votes will be held on June 6.

As of December 30, 2023 there are 6753 voters in DK district in the South West Teachers Constituency out of which 4520 are women. On the other hand, there are 16,869 graduate voters in the district for the South West graduates constituency.

The voters can submit their application for enrollment in electoral list of the South West Teachers and graduates constituency till May 6. The applications can be submitted at Mangaluru City Corporation or all the taluk offices.

Bulk applications can be submitted by Bar Association, Doctors association, Chartered Accountants Association, registered engineers association for the graduates constituency.

Those who are graduates prior to November 11, 2020 can enroll for voters list in the graduates constituency  by submitting Form 18 along with photo copy of marks card, Aadhaar card, voters' identity card and residential address.

For getting oneself enrolled in the teachers constituency voters, an individual should be teaching for minimum three years prior to November 1, 2023 in high school or higher educational institutions.

For the teachers constituency, educational institutions can submit applications in bulk. If wrong details are furnished in these applications, then they will be punishable under Section 31 of Representation of People Act, warned the DC.

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News Network
May 3,2024

Bengaluru: In a fresh development in the alleged Hassan sex abuse case, JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, who was accused of sexually harassing his house help, has been booked for kidnapping a victim allegedly sexually assaulted by his son, Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna. The case was filed late Thursday evening at the KR Nagar police station in Mysuru.

The 20-year-old complainant from KR Nagara accused one Sathish Babanna of taking his mother away forcibly and keeping her in an unknown location at the behest of Revanna.

As per the FIR, Revanna has been named as accused 1 while Babanna was accused 2. The duo were booked under IPC Sections 364A (kidnapping for ransom), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

The complainant claimed that his mother, whose name and age were not revealed, had worked as a help in Revanna’s house and farm in Holenarasipura for six years, quit the job three years ago and returned to KR Nagara. She then worked for daily wages.

“Nearly three to four days before the Lok Sabha election, Sathish Babanna, who is known to us and hailed from our native place, took my mother to Holenarasipura after saying that Bhavani Revanna, the wife of MLA Revanna, had asked for her,” the complainant alleged, adding that Babanna dropped her back on the day of the polls.

Babanna allegedly told the victim’s mother and father to remain silent and evade the police if they came looking for them and to inform him of the developments.

On April 29, at around 9 pm, when the complainant was home, the suspect Babanna arrived, told the complainant’s mother that Revanna had asked for her and took her away on his motorcycle. The complainant claimed that he wasn’t aware of where Babanna took his mother and he had told him that if the police found her, a case would be registered and they would all go to jail.

On May 1, two of the complainant’s relatives called him on the phone and told him that there was a video of his mother being sexually assaulted by Prajwal and that it was a huge case, the FIR noted. He was also informed by his two friends of his "mother's videos being circulated".

When he asked Babanna later that night, he was allegedly told that there was a photo of his mother standing with a stick when Prajwal had quarrelled with someone earlier and an FIR had been registered. Babanna told the complainant that his mother would have to be released on bail, the FIR noted.

“Babanna told me not to speak on the matter on my phone and asked me to talk from a different phone,” he said, seeking action from the police.

The case has been transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe the Hassan sex scandal as per the government order.

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News Network
May 7,2024

Mangaluru: Former MLC Ivan D’Souza on Monday led a delegation to the Passport Seva Kendra in Mangaluru, urging the authorities to provide basic facilities for applicants. D’Souza addressed the media, highlighting the lack of essential amenities at the Mangaluru PSK. “I have requested the authorities to provide basic facilities for people visiting the PSK.

There are no chairs for the convenience of people who arrive at the PSK. They are forced to sit or stand by the side of the road or on footpaths. Additionally, there is no parking facility, no washrooms, and water has not been provided for the public,” the Congress leader stated.

An average of 500 to 600 people from various parts of the state visit the PSK. They have to wait in the scorching heat of the sun, D’Souza mentioned, urging the govt to address these issues promptly. “Officials have agreed to find solutions to the problems faced by the people. Meanwhile, we have also demanded that the PSK be relocated to a more convenient space. We have suggested that the PSK could be moved to the old DC’s office, where there is sufficient space. If our demands are not met, we will hold a protest,” D’Souza explained.

Ashraf Kinara, vice-president of the Dakshina Kannada Waqf Advisory Committee, echoed the sentiment, stating that the authorities should either provide all basic facilities for passport applicants at the PSK or relocate the centre to a better location.

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